


Collision Part IV - Crash and Burn

by starkind



Series: The Collision Tetralogy [4]
Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), DC Cinematic Universe, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Cheating, Crossover Pairings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Deviates From Canon, Drama & Romance, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Constipation, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Roller Coaster, Explicit Language, F/M, Friendship/Love, Gen, Guilt, Hurt Tony Stark, Jealous Bruce Wayne, Love Triangles, Multi, Partner Betrayal, Rare Pairings, Revelations, Rivalry, Substance Abuse, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-11-09
Packaged: 2018-04-11 00:58:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 50
Words: 76,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4414892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkind/pseuds/starkind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How does married life sit with the Starks?<br/>And how does Bruce Wayne fit into the equation? </p><p>AU crossover fic, set after the events of IM3 and TDKR.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is it - the final part of this monstrous rollercoaster. 
> 
> After all that has happened, you think I'd go and give those three a well-deserved rest? You're very much mistaken. Written long before CA:TWS or AoU existed, this story goes its own way from where we've left off in part III. Slightly more adult themes in this one than in its predecessors, so I gave it a higher rating to be on the safe side. 
> 
> Enough of the talk, time to dig in :-)

Malibu, January 2013

 

“So you’re not coming home tonight then?”

Pepper Stark listened to her husband’s voice on the other line as she sat in front of her laptop and let her fingers run along the smooth edges of the keypad. “Sorry hun, Fury’s been a bitch these days, Thor and Banner have flown the coop, Legolas and Killerqueen are somewhere I don't know of, and Mister Freedom is still refusing to use the mobile I gave to him. Lunatics everywhere you look. So no, I’m afraid you’ll lose me on tonight’s Cash Cab dinner evening.”

The redhead frowned into the distance at the large TV in the living room and pressed the mute button of the remote as the theme of the show started to play. “Huh. Maybe I’m not as boring as you think. What if I’m watching something else?” Tony chuckled on the other end. “Oh, baby - I know you, and I know you love your Cash Cab Thursdays. You’re so predictable, don’t try to deny.”

Pepper’s disappointment about yet another lonely evening switched to frustration.  
“Heard there’s a new show called ‘Who wants to be a Superhero?’ Maybe I’ll watch that.”  
Her cutting remark did not have the desired effect as Tony Stark laughed in her ear.

“You’re cute, Mrs. Stark. And sexy. I really miss you. Call you tomorrow, kay? Love ya!”

Her headset went dead, and Pepper pulled it off with ginger fingers to throw it upon the desk. After some more minutes, she stood up in one swift motion, turned up the volume of the TV again, and walked over into the kitchen to turn off the boiling water on the stove. One by one, Pepper put back all ingredients she had laid out for some homemade penne all arrabiata and opened the fridge.

As she munched on some leftover chow mein from the day before, her mind wandered back.

***

Their marital bliss had been undimmed during the first six months.  
  
From their fantastic honeymoon in Europe, back to their everyday life at Malibu mansion - the Starks were inseparable and indestructible. With combined forces for the company, Pepper made good use of her say in many decisions regarding the structural development of Stark Industries. As of January 2012, she then officially assumed the position as CFO, and provided Tony with the necessary information on financial planning and forecasting needs.

The Stark stock went through the roof that year.

In the same month, Happy Hogan got deployed as chief security officer. The big man had taken the initiative and spoken to Tony beforehand; stating he felt unable to pursue his main duties as bodyguard, to Iron Man of all people, because of his non-peak physical condition. The billionaire had accepted his friend’s resignation only to a degree and persuaded him to be in charge of security processes at SI instead.

Since then, Happy helped to reduce and limit exposure to liability in areas of physical and personal risks. While Hogan enjoyed to boss his own staff around, he was always fair and ensured the well-being of all Stark Industries security areas. He was, however, especially alert when it came to Mrs. Pepper Stark, the new-found love of the paparazzi. The big man still took the time to drive her whenever necessary, and Tony was grateful for his efforts; with regards to the risks of stalkers and worse.

When their first wedding anniversary rolled around, Pepper had been chewing over for months what to get the man who had everything, until she came up with a special idea. The Rania Experience sounded like the perfect romantic getaway in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Pepper awaited her husband on the very Friday before the last weekend of August 2012 on the couch in the living room, next to two packed suitcases.

When Tony stood in the open doorway he just stared at her for a moment, thunderstruck and with a huge frown on his face.  
“Dunno what’s just scared me more: You looking like you’re about to move out, or you purposely wanting to go on vacation instead of work.”  
Pepper smiled as she walked up to where he still lingered in the entrance, and pressed a kiss to his lips.

“It's just for the weekend, plus Monday off… not even _I_ have the heart to work on our anniversary.”

Tony’s hands then found their way around her waist and he turned her around to stand behind her. His right hand went straight to the back pocket of his. “By the way, you gotta let me know how you bribed Jarvis into not tellin me a thing. Honestly, it used to be _my_ loyal AI, but lately I feel he’s switched sides.” As he rambled on, Pepper tried to turn to look at him, but his left arm held her in place. She huffed good-naturedly.

“I could tell you my secret, lover, but then I’d have to get rid of you, which would be tragic.”  
His familiar chuckle resounded in her ear as Tony then presented a small, rectangular velvet box right under her nose.  
“I see. Hm, maybe you just need some more… _time_ to think about it…”

When he released her and Pepper held the red case with golden lining in her hands, she gave him a curious look before she opened the lid. She stared dumbfounded at the white gold, diamond-studded Cartier watch for a few seconds, before her eyes and mouth opened in shock. “God Tony, this thing costs…”

“…a fortune. Yep I know. A small one though. And you seemed to like it a lot from your latest browsing results, so…”  
A pair of indignant blue eyes narrowed in on him, which the Californian billionaire countered with a toothy grin.  
“Are you spying on me?”

“Nope. I leave the dirty work to someone else.”  
Pepper cast a mock-stern glance upwards.  
“You are such a traitor, Jarvis.”

The AI chose to stay silent, and the couple shared a deep kiss before Tony fastened the watch around his wife’s slim wrist for the first time. “There. Looks good on you. You’ve got great taste, Mrs. Stark.” Pepper stretched out her arm to marvel at the precious item from afar. “Even though it’s water-resistant, I'd better take it off before I go for a swim with you. I don't want to lose it right away in the Indian Ocean.”

Tony’s eyebrows shot up and he gave a little whistle. “Whatever you've organized, I _gotta_ think of something better than a lousy watch next year.” He turned around as Happy appeared in the open doorway, ready to take them to the airfield. Pepper gave another glimpse at her present and swatted her husband’s denim-clad butt with affection as he hoisted up a suitcase.

“Forget it, Mister. This 'lousy' thing here probably cost just as much - or maybe even more. We need to fix a certain range for future presents, or things will totally be spiraling out of control within this household.”

Needless to say, their private island vacation was a big success. With just the two of them and a butler plus chef on standby, they made good use of all amenities around: From private yachting to a sun deck bar and their master bedroom suite. Pepper had not told Tony she had gone off protection about a month earlier; she wanted fate to decide.

It had required a lot of her deviousness to keep her decision hidden from Jarvis’ access to their medical records, but so far neither Tony nor the AI had noticed or commented. As it turned out, fate decided to keep her waiting some more, and upon their return, business with the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. were his daily fare all over again.

While Pepper had initially been happy for Tony upon hearing he made it to full-fledged member, it meant she was bound to juggle their private and their business lives in California more effective and trouble-free then ever. Him spending most of his time working at the east coast, in armor or not, caused a lot of things at the west coast and SI headquarters to not run as easy and fast-paced as she would have loved them to.

The most recent example was the green energy project with Wayne Enterprises. It was still on hold, after Lucius Fox had been unable condone his own failure in almost sacrificing Gotham to a nuclear bomb. Without Tony Stark’s means of persuasion and Bruce Wayne’s innovative spirit around, the black man had preferred to focus solely on core business at hand and let the venture slide.

Bruce Wayne.

Pepper realized it had been over two years since Bruce had officially turned his back on his hometown. And it had been over a year since they last heard of him. The story about the happy go lucky billionaire and his new-found freedom somewhere in Europe apparently still worked, after Alfred had laid out an alibi for Bruce's absence back in the days.

While she was glad he was alive and touring Europe for real that time, with Selina and Alfred in tow, she felt robbed of an opportunity to properly tell him goodbye. Bruce had never bothered to explain his reckless stunt in Gotham to her, and his deceit still lingered on her mind and stung every time she thought about it.

***

Pepper stuffed the used chopsticks into the box and threw the empty packaging into the trash can.

As she stood leaning against the kitchen counter, she stared out into the vastness of the ocean. When she was alone and not busy running the company, her thoughts often straying towards the topic of having kids, especially after celebrating her 38th birthday last year. However, she figured if the father to-be was not around most of the time anyways, her thoughts were more than redundant.

Tony hardly picked up on her subtle chords, even though Pepper was downright convinced he would make a fantastic father. With regards to his own childhood, however, his subliminal fears of not being able to do a good job were there, and were real. The redhead sighed and rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand. As long as her body and their busy daily routines continued to deny them the chance, she would just have to wait and see.

Pepper Stark therefore started to busy herself otherwise, for time being.

After she had Jarvis list up all of Tony’s many properties and holdings, she took stock of what was worth keeping and economical enough, and what they were better off without. Her meticulous lists soon let her stumble across the Dubai estate, which sat unused, ever since Tony’s love for playboy parties had abated drastically.

“What’s the monthly overhead of the Dubai villa, Jarvis?”

Pepper emptied her tea mug, readjusted her glasses and browsed through the stock list on her StarkPad. “$15.000 per month, Mrs. Stark. Fixed costs have expanded from $13.500 over the past three years.” With an incredulous shake of the head Pepper hacked numbers into a calculator. “Tony’s been there _once_ in the past five years. The thing’s a proverbial millstone. It’s gotta go.”

The AI took a couple of seconds to process the information. “It might be wise to optimize re-selling value by upgrading the current existing interior design to fit with the current Arabic taste and fashion.” Pepper blew out her cheeks, leaned back into the cushions, and flapped the pad shut. A little time off from her daily struggles to take care of things in Dubai sounded very much appealing all of a sudden.

When the face of her husband graced her later via vidcon to bid her goodnight, Pepper let him in on her spontaneous decision.

“Think it’ll do me some good, like, get a week off or two, with a change of scenery, and see if I can hawk the villa to some wealthy sheikhs out in the streets.” Tony’s digitalized version nodded at her. “If it makes you happy, go for it. But one thing bugs me - hot redhead all alone in Dubai? What if someone hawks _you_ out to those camel jockeys in the desert? Take Happy along!”

“Wow Stark, so many stereotypical clichés in two sentences. Do you play intercultural bingo over there and see how many you can come up with? And no, Happy stays here.”  
  
“Nobody ever said I was PC, sweetheart. Anyhow, enjoy yourself. But not too much without me of course. I’ll be in New York if you need me.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No profits have been or will ever be made from namedropping the real estate agency in this one. I just needed a fancy broker for this fic. Oh, and please don't sue me for mentioning the legal consultants as well - I mean all of it in the best possible way.

Dubai / Emirates Hills, January 2013  
  


Arriving in Dubai mid-January, Pepper spent the first two days at the villa to check upon its present state, saw about minor esthetic repairs and decor upgrades, and eventually arranged broker appointments. It did not take her long to find a suitable real estate company, and after getting together with Mister Elaty from Luxhabitat, she had a couple of inquiries for the villa from several interested parties by the end of the week.

Pepper had him pick out the most interesting ones and told him to arrange meetings.

On Friday night, an appointment over dinner led her to Club 360°, a posh restaurant nightclub located at the marina walkway of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, where she was told to meet her first, potential buyer. She had been busy the whole afternoon, and therefore informed Mister Elaty she would take a cab and catch up with him directly at the location around 9PM.

It took her several minutes to cross the long walkway until she arrived at the impressive site amidst the ocean. There, she immediately got led upstairs onto the rooftop lounge with its fantastic view upon Burj al Arab. While Pepper stood and admired the scenery, a waiter pointed to a table in a private corner where three men sat and conversed.

One of them was dressed in a thawb, the traditional Emirate clothing, while the other two were clad in business suits, her real estate agent being one of them. As she approached the table, one of the two men with their backs to her made some kind of joke, and the table erupted in laughter. Mister Elaty then spotted his client and stood up to wave at her from afar.

“Over here, Madam, please. I hope you don’t mind sitting outside? It is mild tonight.”  
A male and British voice then chimed in, unsolicited.  
“If the lady gets cold we’ll just order something to warm her up from the inside.”  
  
Once he had turned around, Pepper’s features all but derailed.  
  
Even with the different accent, she recognized him in an instant. Bruce Wayne not only sounded, but also looked very different from when she had last seen him. All she could focus on was how very tanned he was, with a well-groomed beard, and his hair much longer than usual. He, too could not hide his initial shock upon seeing her in a place so far away from home. The grin on his face froze as he stared at her for a moment.

The real estate agent, however, did not notice the awkwardness and went on with his introductions, undeterred. “Mrs Stark, meet Mister Quinn Preston and Mister Abdel Aziz Alhanaee, his legal advisor. Mister Preston is very interested in the object you want to sell.” Their mutual uneasiness continued as Bruce aka Quinn Preston rose with hesitation to shake her hand, and Pepper almost forgot to extend hers.  
  
“Good evening, Miss…es Stark.”  
Pepper very well noticed his slip of the tongue as he took her hand, and swallowed at the familiar feeling. She put up a noncommittal smile.  
“Good evening, Mister Preston.”  
  
She hastened to greet his company, and all of them sat back down as a waiter approached their table. Bruce left it to the two real estate experts to pick something to drink while he regarded the woman across from him with a pensive look. Pepper averted his gaze, shifted on her lounge chair and busied herself with the menu on the table. She tried to calm her racing mind as anger started to mingle with confusion.

As the waiter brought their drinks, Pepper began to ponder the whereabouts of Selina Kyle.  
A question from Bruce’s legal advisor shook her out of her thoughts.  
“I’m sorry, what did you say Mister Alhanaee?”  
  
The Arab smiled politely at her.  
“I wanted to know a bit more about the object you want to sell. Is it the only property you own in Dubai?”  
Pepper ignored Bruce’s ongoing intense stare, focused on the young adviser and nodded.

“Yes, it’s the only villa my husband and I own in the Emirates. It’s such a wonderful estate, just so seldom used. It might serve a better purpose to someone who's really present, responsible, and appreciative of its true value.” From the corner of her eyes, she saw Quinn Preston lean forward to reach for his glass of bitter lemon. He cleared his throat before he nipped at the drink and glanced at his advisor.

Abdel Aziz Alhanaee nodded with the same poker-faced smile from before.

“Mister Preston is in fact looking for a private domicile here in Dubai.”  
Pepper crossed her legs and, with a well-disguised, brazen expression, cocked her head.  
“For you and your family I take it, Mister Preston?”

The nanosecond his eyes narrowed gave her an utmost sense of gratification.  
If he thought he could play it cool around her after not showing his face for over a year, he had come to the wrong part of the world.  
“Just for myself actually. And I was told it’s hardly a very... commodious house anyhow?”  
  
In feigned innocence, he cast Mister Elaty a pointed look. Pepper did not know what angered her more; Bruce’s flawless but preposterous British accent, or the air of utter arrogance that surrounded him. She listened on rather halfhearted as her real estate agent pulled the exposé from his attaché case and thoroughly described the twenty-two thousand square feet of property with its full view of the golf course.

When he was done she stopped jiggling her stiletto-clad foot and concluded with a sickly-sweet smile.  
“That’s _plenty_ of space for a single-person household, don't you think?”  
Again, his dark eyes blazed at her in the twilight.  
  
“I do love to throw huge parties – at least pool and outdoor area should be spacious.”  
The two other men at the table politely browsed through the exposé as the subtle, passive-aggressive verbal sparring continued.  
“Well, Mister Preston, my husband’s love for luxuriant pool parties still has to find its match. I am sure it will meet _your_ standards just fine.”

Quinn Preston gave a blasé and casual shrug before he leaned back in his seat and turned to his advisor.  
“The price doesn’t seem so reasonable. Bit steep I think.”  
Pepper then found she had enough. She uncrossed her legs, put her soda back on the glass table with a resolute clank and grabbed her purse.

Her free hand moved over to lightly touch the arm of her broker. “Mister Elaty, I am sorry, but I don't think this will lead us anywhere. The villa doesn’t seem fitting for the gentleman, and I believe this isn't a question of pricing. We’ll be in touch.”

Brisk, Pepper rose from her seat and looked at the two other baffled men.  
“Mister Alhanaee, Mister Preston, it’s been a pleasure. Good luck on your house hunting and have a nice evening.”  
In long, swift strides, Pepper then crossed the semicircular aisle between tables and took the stairs towards the exit.

Her face felt flushed as if she had been sunburned, and her fingers clawed at her leather clutch with more force then necessary.

 


	3. Chapter 3

When she had conquered the long walkway, Pepper headed straight for the Jumeirah Beach hotel. Due to the upcoming party crowd on Friday night, she was told no cab would be available within the next twenty minutes. With anger and adrenaline pumping through her veins, the redhead decided to walk until the next possibility for a ride home presented itself.

Dubai’s streets were clean, brightly illuminated and well secured, so she started to enjoy her brief stroll along the seaside on Jumeirah Road after all. For the most part, luxury cars leisurely were rolling along the boulevard; from Ferraris, to Maseratis, to sheikhs in crazy-tuned Porsches. To see and be seen seemed prevalent.

Pepper Stark therefore did not even bother to turn around, when yet another high-speed roaster purred behind her for a couple of yards.

“Any way I can put this right?”  
At his voice, she frowned into the night but kept on looking and walking straight ahead.  
“Pepper. Come on, get in.”

When she had to stop at a red pedestrian light, she did swing around with vigor. She saw Bruce Wayne behind the wheel of a dark Bugatti Veyron, looking at her with an expression between remorse and irritation. Pepper only sneered back at him.

“Oh, but what happened to your accent, _Mister Preston?”_

The light switched to green, and she resumed her brisk walk. She kept an eye out for the next taxi stand, and clutched the breezy neckline of her black jumpsuit shut with her hand. With a loud howl of the engine, the billionaire then swerved his car to the right, and effectively blocked her path from crossing the street. He ducked to look at her through the open window on the passenger side.

“At least give me a chance. Please.”

She let her arms sink and took a searching glance over the car's roof across the street. When another roadster wanted to turn right behind them, and its driver started to honk at her with impatience, Pepper rolled her eyes and pulled the passenger door open with a resigned sigh. Once she sat inside, Bruce turned sharply, put his foot down on the accelerator and headed back for Jumeirah Road.

They rode in silence for a few minutes, before the Gothamite eventually relented.

“Where can I take you to?”  
Busy counting streetlights to her right, Pepper kept her gaze out of the window.  
“Emirates Hills, sector E.”

True to his nature, Bruce remained taciturn after that, and the young woman got reminded of the countless times she had been subjected to his reticence in the past. While she welcomed it the very moment, a certain part of her still longed for answers. In the dim light, Pepper then stole a glimpse at his unmoving profile, where the streetlights from the city that scurried past formed even, kaleidoscopic patterns.

“How’s Selina doing?”

“I don’t know.”  
His words were calm, and she was taken aback by the finality that resounded within.  
“Oh. I’m… I'm sorry.”

Her eyes darted towards the middle console and back to him. Bruce made a small dismissive gesture with his right hand before he took a turn on Al Sufouh Road. “Once a burglar, always a burglar. We parted ways sometime after Italy.” He took his eyes off the road to glance at her as Pepper now regarded him, trying to find the right words. It made him grace her with a small, lopsided smirk.

“I’m doing fine.”  
Pepper frowned.  
“From what I’ve seen, Quinn Preston, wealthy gentleman from England, is doing fine.”  
  
She placed her bag square onto her lap and regarded the glove department. “But no one really knows how Bruce Wayne is doing. How does Quinn Preston finance this lifestyle with no real connections to Wayne Enterprises anyhow?” The billionaire stopped at a red light, put his left elbow up on the armrest and shrugged. “Lucius works his magic. And this time nobody declared me dead, so I’ve got access to my funds.”

Pepper knew none of it was her business, but she wanted to force as many explanations out of him as possible. “But why this charade? People here read papers and watch news as well. They’ll know who you are at some point.” Bruce clasped the bottom of the steering wheel as a traffic light switched to green, and sped onward. “An alias facilitates travelling. And Alfred’s still in Italy. He sends out faux postcards under my name, to what he calls 'necessary people'.”

After five more minutes, the scenery changed to Emirate Hills, and Bruce’s voice cut through the yet emerging silence again.  
“How’s Tony?”  
Pepper gave a little laugh that did not sound all the way convincing.  
  
“Well, he's become very busy with the Avengers Initiative lately.”  
Shaking her head, she tried to amend her empty phrase.  
“I can’t even berate him for it, since I always wanted him to grow up and take responsibilities, so that’s… a good thing.”

Bruce refrained from commenting and told her to give him instructions for the last few yards instead. As the Bugatti came to a standstill in front of the dark villa, he looked at her. His left palm rested atop the wheel as the fingers of his right drummed a quick little staccato next to the paddle-shift gearbox.

“And there we are.”  
After she unbuckled her seat belt, Pepper clasped her bag.  
“Thanks for the ride.”

She refrained from meeting his gaze and pushed the door open. Bruce tried to beat her to it, but was left to stand next to his open driver’s door and watch her slam the passenger door shut. As she walked towards the entrance, Pepper started to fumble for her keys. She sensed he was still watching her from his spot.

“This really is a very nice villa.”  
Something metallic inside her handbag jingled as Pepper’s jaw tightened.  
“It’s not your style, Bruce.”

From the corner of her eye, Pepper saw him slam his door shut as well, before he strolled towards her.  
Her fingers finally grasped around the key ring and pulled it out of her purse.  
“Then convince me. I think sale by inspection always works best.”

She did not look at him from where he stood at the bottom of the stairs, turned the key, and stopped in the open doorway.  
Emotions warred within her, as her fist curled tight around the doorknob.  
“Just for five minutes.”

He sauntered after her with a mischievous expression on his face, but at a respectful distance.

 


	4. Chapter 4

After a rather brief tour, they ended up on the terrace.

The illuminated pool shone up into the darkness, and sounds of the night wafted across from the vast area behind the fence. Bruce’s hands were buried deep in the pockets of his tailor-made suit. He had tried to make some goodwill small talk and asked a few questions regarding the villa along the way. Pepper was becoming angrier at his carefree attitude by the minute.

“Now you’ve seen everything. And like I said: It’s not your style. Keep on looking until something better comes your way.”  
He cast her a serious, unwavering look.  
“I know I deserve this.”

The redhead threw her bag onto one of the many recliners around the pool.  
“Well, good! You deserve something else entirely, but unfortunately I’m not able to knock you out.”  
With a swift move, she brushed her hair back and walked a few steps; away from him and closer to the rim of the pool.

“Not a single sign of life after Italy? One day, the four of us are frolicking around on your yacht, and then -bam- nothing for the past what… fifteen or sixteen months now? You seem to think people get used to your disappearing acts after a while!”

His footsteps moved behind her until he appeared at the corner of her eye.  
“I’m not doing a good job in keeping people around long enough to have them get used to... anything about me.”  
She regarded him with a mixture between scorn and despair and pointed her index finger right at his chest.

“So much for self-awareness. You’ve never let _me_ in there, Bruce, but one day you gotta… you gotta let _someone_ in!”  
The billionaire pressed his lips together tight, turned around all of a sudden, and walked back to the patio door.  
“Thanks for the tour. It's really a beautiful house; I’m sure the two of you will have it sold in no time.”

Incredulous, the redhead swung around and stared at his retreating back in disbelief. Without thinking, she followed him to where he had almost reached the foyer. In less then two seconds, and with a handful of his sleeve, she managed to halter his stride. Even though he would have been more than able to shake her off, Bruce Wayne just remained standing and watched her block his path.

“History repeating itself?”  
Her eyes darted within his, full of uncertainty and frustration.  
He just gave her a meek smile.

“What happened to you out there, Bruce? What happened in Gotham?”  
“I don’t wanna talk about it.”  
“Right. How could I forget. You never wanted to talk to me about _anything_.”

“I’m sorry, Pepper.”  
“Yeah, me too! Damn it, I… I thought you were _dead,_ Bruce – for the second time in not even a year! How do you think that made me feel?”  
“I know…”

“No you _don’t_ _!”_  
“You had Tony…”  
“WHAT? That’s not the point here! You don’t know what you’ve done to me, Bruce -more than once- and now you stand here and… judge me?!”  
  
”Pepper…”  
She shook her head in silent anger as her eyes bore into the ground.  
Bruce stepped forward and clasped her shoulders, as if to ease some of the tension in them.  
  
“I wish I could take back all the pain I’ve caused you.”  
Out of instinct, he pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. A slight shiver ran through Pepper’s body.  
She willed herself to look up and take in the way he seemed strong and vulnerable at the same time.

Something made her reach up and stroke his cheek just before their eyes met.  
Before any of them knew what was going on, they were sharing a tentative, light kiss.  
Different and yet so familiar feelings made Pepper's lips tingle from the feel of his skin. 

After a couple of seconds, her sanity kicked back in. Shocked by her initial reaction, Pepper broke their connection with a small gasp of fright. Bruce looked just as miserable and let go of her to take two steps back. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have let it come this far. It’s best if I leave.” Confused and sick to her stomach, Pepper palmed her forehead with both hands and turned away from him to try and collect her composure.  
  
“Oh God, what do I tell Tony?”  
Bruce’s hand on her upper arm interrupted her spiraling thoughts.  
“Nothing. It will never happen again, and you're only going to make things worse by telling. Believe me. Good night, Pepper.”

Numb, she watched him open the door and disappear out into the night without another look back. After she had closed the door behind him with mechanic strides, she sat down in one of the plush armchairs for about an hour in the dark, until she made up her mind.

***

“Stark.”  
“Hi, it’s – it’s me. Where are you? At home?”  
“Baby, hi! No, I’m at the Tower. It’s half past four here… making it what? 0:30AM your place. What’s up? You can't still be jet-lagged.”

Pepper breathed down the receiver.  
She had ignored the time zone difference with Dubai nine hours ahead of New York, and subsequently caught him at the office.  
“Oh, erm, not jet-lagged, no. What... what are you doing right now?”

Tony began to tell her how well he had managed the company in her absence so far, and which deadlines he had kept, too, thanks to her drill. His wife could not stand the utter happiness, love and care in his voice and almost started to sob. Her husband picked up on her discomfort right away.

“What’s up, hon? Are you okay?”  
“It’s…erm. Something happened.”  
“ _What?_ What happened? Are you physically okay? Cause I’m in the suit in less than five minutes if you’re not convincing me otherwise right now!”

Pepper Stark tried to calm her nerves as well as her voice, and shook her head into the darkness.  
“Nonono, I’m okay, really. Nothing... accident-wise or anything. But it was an accident, kind of.”  
Tony seemed certain his wife was most definitely not okay.

“Uh-huh. Pep, sweetheart, I’m sorry to say this, but you’re not making any sense. I’ll ask again one more time: Are you hurt, or…?”  
  
“No, really, I’m…I’m fine. I uh, I just went to a dinner meeting earlier on -to sell the villa, you know- and, guess what: I ran into Bruce.”

Her cheeks blew out as she put the initial first part of her confession out into the open, followed by a shrill and forced sounding laugh. Unfortunately Tony jumped on another, different bandwagon before she could even object. “ _Banner_ _?_ What’s he doing in Dubai, of all places? The green guy’s been leading him astray that far? Thought he had it under control by now… and yesterday he was still in Queens, holy sh...”

Pepper realized she had been beating around the bush for the longest time.

“No, Bruce… Wayne. It was so strange to see each other there, of all places, you know? He turned out to be the potential buyer for the house; can you imagine such a coincidence? Mind you, he calls himself Quinn Preston these days, and apparently he wants to buy a domicile in the Emirates and… anyways, he drove me home because there weren’t any cabs tonight, and… when we went to say goodbye... somehow... we kissed. It didn't mean anything... and it lasted only a second. And I'm sick about it.”

Her husband was silent at the other end for a moment.  
Pepper Stark sprang up from her chair and paced along the living room.  
The fingers of free hand twirled a strand of hair so tight that her scalp hurt.  
  
“Bruce said I shouldn’t even tell you... because it was just a kiss, and it’ll never happen again - and it means nothing. But I told him... that I couldn't have a secret from you. That we don't have secrets. And the secret would just make it worse. So... so I'm telling you. And I feel awful. And I'm sorry. Please say something?”

His silence on the other end was worse than being punched in the gut.  
Pepper bit her lip hard and felt a wave of panic rise from the bottom of her stomach.  
She called his name one more time, before she heard him inhale sharply on the other end.  
  
“I – I don’t know what to think at the moment, okay? I’ll… talk to you another time.”  
Feeling like someone pulled out the rug from underneath her feet, Pepper swayed and braced herself against a nearby bookshelf.  
“Tony, _please!_ ”  
  
“No! Let me… let me stomach this information first. Besides, I'm at work, Pepper. I have to go now. Goodbye.”  
With these calm but cold words, he hung up on her, and Pepper was left to stare off into the night.  
She sunk back down onto the armchair, where she eventually drifted off into an uneasy slumber several hours later.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any of this sounds familiar, you're right. After watching SATC2 several years ago (hey, stop laughing!), my mind always envisioned that scene with Pepper, Tony and Bruce. At least Pepper and Carrie share the same taste in stilettoes, even if their actions are kinda shitty in itself! Oh, and I also totally ripped off some dialogue out of an episode of... Arrow, I think (?) 
> 
> I am so lame.


	5. Chapter 5

New York, January 2013

  
At the other end of the world, Tony Stark sat in his large office, unmoving. Then his fingers began to drum onto the massive wooden desktop as he stared out into the imposing skyline of New York City. Opposed to his initial reaction of getting into the suit and flying out to talk to his wife in person, he pressed a button on his interface comm instead. The connection loaded in an instant.

“Agent Romanov.”  
“Natasha. Chipper as usual.”  
“What do you want, Stark?”

Tony’s mouth curved into a grim line. He stood up to walk over to the panorama window front. “A mission. With the Avengers or without, don’t care. Gotta test out new features for the suit. Gimme somethin' gritty.” After she had sent him the coordinates of a search and destroy mission in Croatia, and told him to meet her at a fixed point, Tony hung up on the Russian spy and left the office to prepare for his upcoming travel.

He did not even bother to have Jarvis inform his wife about his whereabouts.

***

Dubai, Emirates Hills, January 2013  
  


The next day, Bruce Wayne drove back over to the villa in Sector E to clear things up between him and Pepper.

He found a devastated woman who told him in quiet words she had confessed the truth to Tony with shattering results. Pepper sat on the couch, dressed in a pair of black pants and matching blouse, with no makeup and her hair in a neat bun. Bruce leaned against the archway of the living room’s area, and looked out into the open. He rubbed thumb and index finger over tired eyes, before crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“I told you you’d only make it worse. Some things are best left unsaid.”  
From where Pepper had stared at the same page of her newspaper for the past minutes, her head snapped up to look at his profile, defiant.  
“Oh, great, Bruce -tell me about it! Any more things better left unsaid while we’re still at it? Now’s _your_ chance!”

With a push of his shoulder against the archway, Bruce detached himself and walked over to the window overlooking the patio.  
“I never stopped thinking about you. And I'm always searching for a woman who could be like you, despite knowing there isn’t.”  
When Pepper said nothing, he glanced back at her over his shoulder. A desperate smirk flittered across his lips.

“I know you and Tony are meant to be, but you wanted me to tell you. It’s the first and the last time I’ll ever speak about it.”

He turned back around and gazed at the sun blazing onto the vast green grass of the golf course behind the villa. Taken aback, Pepper's eyes fell onto the wedding band on her finger, and her left hand tightened into a fist. The moment passed without a word. After his confession, Bruce’s behavior was rather quick to change from rare, heartfelt display to familiar, analytical mindset in the blink of an eye.

Since the Gothamite had come to value the other man as sort of a friend over the things they had gone through together, Bruce offered to speak to Tony about the incident himself. Pepper uncrossed her legs and stood up to walk towards the kitchen area. “Tony doesn’t answer the phone since yesterday. I don’t even know if he still wants to speak with _me_.”

“Let me see what I can do.”

Bruce watched her prepare some iced tea and took the opportunity to step outside onto the terrace. The change from air-conditioned living room to scorching midday heat was severe, and Wayne felt sweat pooling underneath his shirt right after a couple of seconds. He used the private line number Tony had given him shortly before they went into the battle for Gotham together, and waited for the line to get picked up.

Seeing that Bruce's number was different, the Californian billionaire did not know who called him on secure line two inside the suit at first.

Tony was more than terse when he recognized him, and his voice held nothing but scathing irony. “How’s the weather in Dubai, Quinny boy? Any luck on the real estate market yet? Ah, but hey, at least you’ve scored and snogged my wife, so that counts for something.” Bruce frowned into the shimmering heat and wiped the back of his neck with his free hand. The hairs there already curled with moisture.  
  
“We can clear things up between us any which way you want, Tony.”

“Oh, yeah. Sure we could. While I’m actually so pissed at you that I wanna rip your balls off, I’m not stupid enough to go one-on-one with your multi-weaponized Extremis bod.” The Gotham billionaire rolled his stiff neck, turned away from the sight of Pepper inside the house, and walked a few feet out of the shadows into the blistering midday sunlight.

“That’s not what you said on the rooftop, back then.”  
Tony Stark gave a crude laugh into his ear.  
“Oh fuck you, man! Back then, _you_ said you wouldn’t get in the way, you prick. And look where that got us!”

Despite his increasing heart rate, Bruce did not rise to the bait. He felt the piercing rays of the sun on his bare forearms, and slipped his free hand into the pocket of his pants. “What happened was completely my fault – Pepper’s not the one to blame. And she looks like death warmed over; I think it’s best if she gets back home soon.”

Stark was silent on the other end for a few heartbeats, and Wayne looked down at the front of his light blue business shirt. A dark spot had formed right under his chest. With slow strides, Bruce went back for shelter underneath the small canopy. He glanced into the villa and saw Pepper fill two tall glasses of ice tea, when the baritone voice from the other end shook him out of his thoughts.

“Make sure she gets home safe. It’s the only thing I trust you with.”

The line went dead as Tony hung up on him. Bruce Wayne pocketed his mobile and pressed the patio door back open. Cool air engulfed him as he locked out the heat. Wordless, Pepper looked at his sweated appearance and held out a glass. He drowned the contents in two large gulps and handed the empty glass back to her.

“How soon can you be back in the States?”  
Her large blue eyes looked up at him.  
Bruce averted them and walked over to where he had draped his jacket onto the backrest of a kitchen bar chair.

”He didn’t want to talk and he didn’t want to listen. You don’t have to tell me. I know.”  
With a huge sigh, Pepper then put the empty glass into the kitchen sink.  
“I’ll fly back tomorrow afternoon. The jet should be ready until then.”

Subdued she watched Bruce slip on his jacket. Pepper then went back into the living room to get her mobile and make the necessary arrangements. When she was done, Bruce awaited her by the main entrance. They shared a brief, awkward hug before he turned and left for his Bugatti without any further word.

Once she had wandered back into the empty villa, Pepper saw her own glass of iced tea still waiting for her on the kitchen counter. She went and took a few sips of the cool beverage, as her eyes automatically fell onto the little notepad next to it. She stared down at the number he had left, written with a pencil, and the single sentence underneath.

 _I did let someone in_.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a nice chapter. So there.

Malibu, January 2013

  
Pepper left Dubai on a Stark Jet on an early afternoon at the end of January, and flew back to Malibu mansion.

She could have sworn it was a dark gray Bugatti which passed by the airfield shortly after she had boarded the plane, but Pepper kept her thoughts on Tony and their upcoming confrontation. In her head, she laid out a thousand things to say to her husband, which did nothing but increase her anxiety until the eighteen-hour flight with two stopovers lay behind her. A cab brought her tired form home late in the evening.

“Good evening, Mrs. Stark. Welcome back.”  
She put down her suitcase and carry-on luggage, greeted the AI and asked for light.  
“Is Tony down in the workshop?”

“I’m afraid Mister Stark is still on his mission, Madam."  
The young woman frowned as no further information about Tony’s status followed, as usual.  
“Did Tony say where he has gone to? And when he would be back?”  
  
She slipped out of her jacket and meandered into the living room.  
“I am not permitted to answer either question, Mrs. Stark.”  
Her face morphed into disbelief.  
  
“I’m... sorry? You’re always able to give me either footage or info on Tony’s whereabouts. What’s this about, Jarvis?”  
  
The AI had grown into many facets of human behavior over the years. While Jarvis still was programmed to solely do as Tony ordered him to, the system had found a way to bypass the billionaire’s initial command in certain cases. “Neither is possible, Madam. Would you like me to play the last audio recording Mister Stark has left from Stark Tower?”

Pepper nodded, crestfallen, and inched onto the couch. After she had listened to Tony and Natasha Romanov fixing a rendezvous point, she stared off into the distance for at least five minutes before she willed herself to get back up. She instructed Jarvis to let her husband know she was home nonetheless, left her suitcase at the front door, went upstairs and took a shower to fend the tiredness off her bones.

Changed into some jeans and shirt, Pepper resumed her position on the couch half an hour later and willed herself to stay awake until his return. Her jet lag however got the best of her and made her fall asleep soon after. When she woke with a start in a half-curled up position on the big sofa hours later, she blinked into the dusk. There still was no sign or message from Tony whatsoever.

Pepper willed herself to eat, despite feeling sick to her stomach, and started to check the news for potential info on Iron Man. Waiting for him became more than dreadful, until after yet another couple of hours, the sounds of a suit descending outside the mansion could be heard. With a short prayer heavenwards for his safe return she hurried down to the workshop.

The first thing she saw was his back as the station took the scorched and battered armor off of him.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she entered her access code and opened the hydraulic glass door. She stood in the doorway and watched her husband stagger away from the platform. When he turned around, she pressed her lips together at his appearance. Bloodied, tired, sweaty and battle-weary, Tony Stark stood in his undersuit and stared at her, unsmiling. His ARC shone through a large, nasty looking tear in the fabric.

Out of instinct, she stepped nearer, wanting nothing more than to wrap her arms around him and have him hug her in return. Tony did not move an inch to indicate he had the same idea. When she came to stand in front of him, she ignored the sharp stench of sweat and soot that wavered over to her and cast worried eyes upon the many bruises and cuts he was coated in.

“You’re hurt. Let me get the first aid kid…”  
As she made a beeline for the familiar red box at the wall, his brusque voice cut her off.  
“No need. Natasha's already taken care of that.”

That haltered her stride. She heard his footsteps walk away from her, and swung around to see his retreating back head for the door. Tony was limping and dragged a leg with each step. Without hesitation, Pepper followed him out of the workshop and up the stairs. He never once bothered to turn around to look at her.

“Can you at least talk to me? I’ve been waiting for the past twelve hours without any sign of life from you!”  
Before he could disappear upstairs, into the direction of their private quarters, Pepper lunged forward and grabbed his elbow.  
Tony slowly craned his head to look over his shoulder with dull eyes.

“Ain’t that something? Can consider myself lucky to have such a devoted, faithful wife.”  
Taken aback, she let go of his arm and watched him resume his walk.  
“Okay, Tony. I _know_ I made a mistake, okay? What do you want me to say apart from I’m sorry? _WHAT?_ ”

She yelled after him, even as he had rounded the corner to the bathroom. Fuming, Pepper let go of the banister and, instead of following him upstairs, turned and went outside to sit on the terrace in the darkness and listened to the waves of the ocean crashing upon the coast down below. After what seemed an eternity but was nothing more than half an hour, she heard him rummaging around the living room through the open patio door. Pepper rose from her spot and walked inside.

She was just in time to see him down the first shot of whiskey.

Tony had showered and was dressed in a pair of dark blue sweatpants and a gray t-shirt, but barefooted. His hair was still wet, and droplets of water darkened the fabric on chest and shoulders. She watched him roll the empty glass in his hand for a moment and held her breath. Against her initial fear, the billionaire refrained from a refill, and placed the item upon the unlit fireplace.

“I want you to tell me the reason you kissed him.”  
Pepper watched him brace himself against the mantelpiece with both hands.

“I guess I remembered who I used to be... and Bruce was such a big part of that and... yes, I wanted the flirting, and, yes, I wanted the attention. But I didn't want the kiss. The second I kissed Bruce, I remembered who I am now! Someone who finally is with the man she's loved for so many years. And now that… now that he loves me back, became responsible and does such a wonderful job of running business in New York City, I really hope my past hasn't screwed up my future.”

She finished her tirade and sunk into the couch, exhausted, only to look up at his profile with pleading eyes.  
His jaw moved as his eyes narrowed. Then Tony lowered his head and shook it with a curt snort.  
“That’s all you can come up with? The company?”  
  
He craned his neck to glare at her.  
“Who knew you’d tire of me so fast after domesticating me.”  
Incredulous, Pepper slammed her palm on the leather upholstery.

“Don't you go and twist my words around, Tony! And so much for domesticated – remember _you’re_ the one who’s never around these days; _never!_ ” Anger blazed in his expressive brown eyes as he let go of the fireplace and puffed out his chest. “So that’s were you’re coming from? Oh Tony, you’re never around, hope you don’t mind me making out with other guys in the meantime! What the fuck happened to ‘through good times and hard times’, huh?”

Pepper sprang up to walk away from where he loomed over and mocked her with a high-pitched voice. She put some distance between them by standing behind the massive kitchen island. “Good times mean family, Tony. Where’s ours? Where are _you?”_ The hollow laugh he gave sent chills down Pepper’s spine.

“Oh, but my absence seems to have suited your own plans just mighty fine there, hasn't it? And for the record – having kids requires having trust in the other. Hm, that doesn’t really look too good there on your part as of now, I’d say. So why bother?”

His words hurt Pepper more than she imagined, and she closed her eyes for a second to collect her thoughts. When she reopened them Tony had turned back around to stare into the cold, empty fireplace. She could not stop the words from leaving her mouth. “That’s why you went on a mission with Natasha, right? To get back at me like the truthful, ever caring husband you are!”

Tony’s head bobbed slowly as he let her words sink in. “Yeah. Wanna know what, Pep? At some point, I _did_ think about cheating on you with her, just to make you see and feel what it means to get deceived. Oh, didn't take much.”

An icy feeling spread out in Pepper’s heart. Anger overrode sorrow, and her voice took on a malicious tone after she inhaled. She made an inviting sweep into his direction. “Go on then - go and fuck her - because that’s what you’re best at, isn’t it? You already wanted to when you were dying from Palladium poisoning! And maybe afterwards we’re even!”

In a bout of anger, his arm lashed out and swept the nearest item from the mantelpiece down to the ground with force. Pepper stared at the broken picture frame on the floor. It was them on their wedding day right after the ceremony had been over, photographed by Rhodey, when love shone out of their faces for each and everyone to see.

“Yeah, maybe I will! Since you’re so good with play pretend, _Mrs. Stark_ , let’s just act like trust comes naturally.”  
Tony took a break to wipe his face down and exhaled. When he looked back at her, it was laced with rage and despair.  
“I'll be damned if I let marriage destroy me like it's done my parents, cause you want to screw around like a... like a...”

Pepper made a cutting gesture with both hands, and shook her head.  
“I suggest we take a little while off from each other to get clear heads again.”  
She turned and headed in strong strides for the main entrance, grabbed her suitcases and slammed the door shut behind her.

As she sat in her new, not yet launched Jaguar F-type cabriolet and sped down the empty freeway towards her old condo in Paradise Cove, she knew Tony’s pride and his anger would forbid him from going after her. It turned out Pepper Stark should remain right about one thing regarding her husband that night. She looked up into the starlit sky and watched him blaze a trail in one of his suits, high up above her head, heading for what would probably be New York again.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Malibu, Paradise Cove, February 2013  
  


To say Pepper coped well with the first, serious marital quarrel of her life would be nothing but a lie.

For the first two days, she walked around her condo like a zombie; convinced everything was either just a bad joke or a persistent nightmare of which she soon would wake up from. When reality presented her with the blunt truth neither was the case, her anger eventually got the best of her after the third day with no signs whatsoever from Tony. She made use of all her pent up aggression and went off into spring-cleaning mode.

Dressed in an old pair of cutoff jeans and a cotton jersey two sizes too big, Pepper mopped the entire apartment, dusted off all furniture, cleaned windows and the patio. Afterwards, she went through stacks of boxes hidden in the back of her closets and on her bookshelves. With a huge trash bag next to her, she sat cross-legged on the floor of her bedroom area, surrounded by stacks worth keeping and things to let go.  
  
A faint smile flashed over her face as she stumbled across some loose snapshots inside an embellished cardboard box. There were several pictures of her, Rhodey, Happy and Tony from what must have been 2007, according to her clothes and their respective haircuts. One Polaroid showed the four of them on the huge sofa in what used to be Tony’s gaming room.

Happy’s face was hidden behind the bottle of Corona he raised to his lips. Rhodey was grinning into the camera and made an instructing gesture at what was most probably DUM-E. Pepper Stark stared at the little faces of her and Tony. Her younger self was craning her neck upwards to look at him in a bout of merriment. Tony Stark had thrown himself onto the backrest of the couch behind her; trying to keep his balance and looking like a frisky little puppy.

A silly, green trucker cap was unable to tame his wild, curly brown hair, and his mouth was parted with delighted laughter as he looked down at his assistent in return. The bottle of beer in his left hand was held up high into the air and out of sloshing range. The photo must have been taken on what used to be their monthly Friday hangout sessions at the mansion.

Usually after 7PM, the four of them got together, ordered pizza, had some cold drinks and spent their time with lots of silly arcade gaming or watching movies until the early morning hours. Pepper remembered the beginnings, and how she had always politely refrained from joining them out of fear of acting unprofessional. After four years of working for Tony however, there was a point when they succeeded in making her feel like she was one of the guys.

Back in the present, the redhead brushed a tender thumb over the face of the billionaire who should become her husband so many years later, and got hit by a wave of emotions. Her eyes started to brim, but before the tears could fall and stain the photo paper, Pepper placed the little picture back into the box and scrambled to her feet to fetch a handkerchief.

Not careful enough, her left knee tore down a nearby stack of boxes she was yet to browse through, and the whole content emptied itself on the polished floor tiles. With a muffled curse, she wiped her eyes on her sleeve and squatted down to pick up the strewn items. Her hand hesitated upon seeing another, well-known photograph underneath a couple of handwritten letters.  
  
For a few heartbeats, Pepper stared at the rare snapshot of her and Bruce on an evening out at a party in Gotham City, over three years ago.

Her face solemn, she studied the couple in it. It was from shortly after she had gone and cut and dyed her hair. Someone had snapped the picture just as blonde Pepper was looking at her male companion mid-sentence, half-teasing him. For once, Bruce's usually too serious face held a rare spark of honest amusement. Back in the present, her older self stood up again, photo still in hand, and placed it aside onto the coffee table to take care of the chaos she had created.

After Pepper finished what meanwhile had become a tedious task, she stored the sorted boxes away in their previous places. When she stepped in front of the windows to gaze out into the ocean, her eyes roamed over to where her phone lay, dead without any new messages. She was more than thankful people still assumed she was abroad, and neither Happy nor her assistants had bothered her so far.

When evening rolled around, Pepper helped herself to a mug of tea and huddled underneath a blanket on her too big and too lonely couch. Involuntarily, her eyes came to rest upon the picture of Bruce and her. Even as she stood up to stow it away inside a drawer with resolute movements, the wish for his comfort, and most of all his calmness to get her back to the ground grew into a longing too hard to ignore.

She knew she was egoistical in wanting to reach out to him, despite knowing she could not give him what he really wanted and needed from her.  
If Pepper had not felt so utterly distraught and alone that night, she would not have sent a text message.  
_'I can’t do this alone.’_

As soon as she had pressed the send button, pangs of remorse flooded her rational thinking mind. She scolded herself, and was just about to send another text right after the first, to state it had been a misdirected message and that he please should not bother. However, the quick reply that blinked on her screen ruled out such possibility. Pepper just stared at the few words on the display for a while.  
  
_'You don’t have to. Marina Bay Sands.’_

She wondered what was wrong with her to even consider taking on an 18-hour flight to Singapore, but the need to get away from all problems was strong. Combined with a feeling of mental overload, and no other person on the planet to confide into, she chose to at least wait until the next day. However, her fervent hopes of getting in touch with Tony got crushed again.

If he had felt the need to answer her desperate calls, it would have been the only thing stopping Pepper Stark from booking a commercial flight.

Knowing each of them was their own worst enemy, Pepper left a message with Jarvis. She stated she would be going out of country for a while and hoped Tony would take care of himself, despite anything that stood between them. A cab took her to the airport as the redhead made another step far away into an unknown future for the second time in her life; her mind, heart and soul torn between love and temptation.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits for the image of Pepper and Bruce go to my lovely s/o, who did a brilliant manip for me to envision these two. If there was a way of showing it, I totally would!


	8. Chapter 8

Singapore, 14th  February 2013  
  


Pepper arrived in Singapore on a February morning to temperatures well in the seventies, and caught a cab to the luxury hotel Bruce was staying at. The Marina Bay Sands inhabited the most prominent architectural design she had ever seen in her life. After she had stared at the three main towers from down below for the longest time, she entered the foyer and went straight to reception. A young Asian woman greeted her.

“Good morning, Madam and welcome at the Marina Bay Sands. How can I help you?”

“Good morning. Mister Wayne’s room, please.” The receptionist typed into her computer. After a couple of minutes, she looked up again and seemed contrite. Pepper tried and added the billionaire’s first name to facilitate the search. “I am sorry Madam, but I don’t seem to have a reservation for said gentleman.” The redhead inwardly winced at her mistake and tried to salvage the situation before things got more awkward.

Pretending to recheck her mobile phone, Pepper gave a mock-embarrassed laugh. “Oh gosh, I am sorry. I got my appointments mixed up. I’m supposed to meet Mister Quinn Preston here, excuse me. I must still be jet-lagged.” With one of her best smiles, she tried not to hold her breath as the young receptionist smiled at her in understanding and was eventually able to produce a result.

“Mister Preston has got the Singapura Suite on the sixtieth floor. He is currently out, but has entitled you to a key card for his room. I just need a valid visa and a signature over here on the right, Madam.”

After she had gone through all necessary formalities, Pepper got escorted into the posh apartment. With a generous tip to the bellhop for taking good care of her luggage she started to examine the empty, spacious suite. For the moment she refrained from unpacking, stepped out onto the large terrace and glanced across the vast skyline of Singapore, taking in the view.

She did not know how long she had stood, leaned against the balustrade and watched the ships around the bay area, when a door opened and footsteps approached her from behind. Bruce stepped out on the terrace just as she turned around, and Pepper’s eyes immediately flew towards the delicate flower in his hand. He gave a brief smile and she returned it; he looked exactly the same as back in Dubai.

“Welcome to Singapore.”  
She let go of the banister and accepted his one-armed embrace before she took the flower.  
“Thank you so much. I’m…”

At her loss for words, Bruce helped out by pointing at the blossom. “It’s a Singapore Orchid, the national flower if you will. I wanted to keep things related to the context, so to speak.” Her brows furrowed in complete lack of understanding, and within seconds, Bruce Wayne’s face held an adorable and uncommon shy touch. “Seeing that it _is_ Valentine’s Day after all?”

The realization hit Pepper like a ton of bricks. Her vision started to blur at the thought of her husband on the supposedly most romantic day of the year, and she averted Bruce's meanwhile apologetic expression. Before she was able to turn away from him he reached out and held her without a word when the first tears of sorrow started to fall.

After several minutes, he had managed to console her enough for her to wipe at her eyes with embarrassment. From where she was still pressed up against his broad chest, Bruce carefully held her at arm’s length to gauge her reaction. “Why don’t you get some rest. The flight was strenuous. And when you feel better later on, I’m going to take you out for a fancy dinner. How’s that sound?”

With a meager smile she nodded, trying not to appear ungrateful at his efforts. “That sounds really nice.”

Since Bruce’s suite came with the luxury of two chic bedrooms, a living and a media room, Pepper got acquainted with the facilities, unpacked and laid down to rest. When evening arrived, she had slept for nearly four hours and woke up feeling hungry. She freshened up, got dressed and found Bruce in the living room where he had been working with a notebook in his lap.  
  
He threw her an admiring look upon seeing her in a black one-shouldered cocktail dress.  
“Wow, you look fantastic.”  
Pepper smiled at him as he got up to help her into her coat and escorted her out towards the elevator.

As he locked the door behind them she looked at his all-black suit with matching shirt and silken tie and nodded in approval. “So do you. Even though I still cannot get over this...” She pointed at his well-groomed beard with a circling index finger. “...no matter how hard I try.” Bruce shot her a pointed look. “Such brutal carrot-and-stick policy. I shall forgive you in favor of a great dinner.”  
  
She amicably smacked his back with her clutch in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gwyneth Paltrow's Hugo Boss Nuit ad displays the weapon of choice... err, dress in question here. Poor Bruce ;-)


	9. Chapter 9

Brasserie Les Saveurs at The Saint Regis Singapore was a truly beautiful restaurant. With its glittering crystal chandeliers and posh furniture, it was the ideal location for an intimate dinner. They had driven over in Bruce’s latest fancy rental car, an Aston Martin Vanquish Coupé, and Pepper had regained enough humor to tease him mercilessly about his exquisite taste in European sports cars – him, the all-American citizen.

As her punishment, Bruce kept his British accent for the rest of the drive.

The maitre d' welcomed them with an obliging shine on his face.  
“Good evening Mrs. and Mister Preston. Please, follow me to your table. I hope it is to your liking on this romantic occasion.”  
While Pepper was more than flustered, Bruce threw her a glance which hovered between amusement and sympathy.

Before they could make the effort to correct their waiter on his mistake, he had hurried away to get them the menu, and Bruce went on to pull the chair for his female company as if nothing had happened. They busied themselves with the carte du jour, until the maitre d’ soon came back over with a bottle of champagne on the house. After Bruce had placed their orders, he pointed to the bottle.

“Do you want me to?”  
Pepper twisted her mouth into a smirk.  
“It might seem unbecoming if we don’t.”

The delicate crystal glasses clinked softly as they toasted each other.  
After a brief nip, Bruce placed the flute back on the table.  
His hand stroked the white tablecloth, and Pepper looked at his pensive face.

“What’s wrong?”  
With pursed lips, Bruce eventually smiled and shook his head slightly.  
“Nothing. I was just thinking.”

She raised an eyebrow.  
“Oh, _that_ I saw.”  
He gave a brief chuckle, but before Pepper had the chance to inquire, their main courses got served.

During their amicable conversation throughout turbot fillet for her and tenderloin beef for him, the true reason for Pepper’s stay remained a taboo topic. Much to Bruce’s promise, she did feel far more relaxed as the evening progressed. When they sat over their espressos and her cheeks held a lovely pinkish color from champagne, Pepper leaned forward and nudged his shin with her foot.

“Are you willing to tell me now?”  
His eyes shot up from where he had stared into his empty cup for a few moments.  
“Tell you what?”

She shook her head at his poor charade.  
“Bruce, please - I’ve seen that look countless times... or at least more often than I wanted to. What’s troubling you? The truth, Mister.”  
He made a sweep with his hand as he leaned back in his chair.

“Okay, truth is: I am trying to find the right words.” She crossed her arms on the table and a grin formed on her lips. “ _You_. Of all people. Ah, don’t go telling me now that you forgot your wallet. If they'll make us do the dishes, I’m only going to bail _myself_ out, you better believe.”

Bruce gave a mild smile at her attempt to lighten the mood.  
“Actually, I was rather wondering if you might stay for the upcoming week.”  
He focused back on her; hazel eyes holding such guarded intensity, it made Pepper stop grinning.

The billionaire then amended his plea with a lopsided smirk.  
“As a pre-birthday present, if you will.”  
It took a lot of her composure not to let on she had forgotten February 19th was in five days.

After seeing and sensing how much it would mean to him, Pepper fought down her pangs of conscience. If Tony wanted to get in touch, he always could. There was no hour in which she did not check upon her mobile, only to discover he had still not made an effort to contact her. After she had tried to approach him half a dozen times to no avail before her departure, his wife figured she had done all she could.

She therefore swallowed around the lump in her throat and gave the man in front a sincere smile.  
“Of course; if you want me to stay, I’ll stay.”  
The Gothamite had already signaled for the waiter, but his face held an uncharacteristic hint of relief and gladness.

He got them safe and sound back to their hotel around 10PM. They chose to pay a visit to the hotel’s rooftop bar, and have a nightcap of the non-alcoholic kind. Soon they stood at the railing, high above Singapore City, and Pepper sipped on her Sea Breeze mocktail. Bruce's gaze followed her line of view over to the enormous infinity pool as he swirled the ice cubes in his tonic water.

“You know that your stay warrants at least one swim in the world’s largest rooftop pool.”  
She nodded without taking her eyes off the people who dabbled around the waterside.  
“If I didn’t forget to pack a bikini, I totally would.”

Needless to say, Pepper found a small gift box on her bed just one day later, and almost lost it upon holding the very little piece of fabric up in the air. She had to admit; for as much audacity Bruce Wayne owned in making such an indecent present, the racy black monokini fit her like a glove. Her poker-faced thanks no soon after, however, left him a trifle unsure whether his intentions had overshot the mark or not.

The upcoming four days were spent with sightseeing, shopping, and dining.

Pepper sharply had to remind herself it was not picture perfect, each time her eyes fell onto her wedding ring. Shame and guilt always caught up with her during the lonely nights in her single bedroom. She never mentioned her internal struggle to Bruce, and allowed him to sweep her away into the bustling metropolis during daytime instead.

He was reserved but ever-attentive, and Pepper found his Gotham City abstinence very much agreed with him in all aspects. It soothed her own spirits when she saw bits and pieces of the real Bruce Wayne peek out from underneath his stoic and hardened façade every now and then. The relaxed global player attitude he had obtained not only did him good, but also her.

It brought her back to the time of their first meeting, when Bruce Wayne’s dark alter ego was nothing but a wild-spun fairy tale, Tony Stark was nothing but her boss and Iron Man, and independant Pepper Potts knew she alone was in charge of her life, her heart and her feelings.

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Felt the need to say THANK YOU - for all the lovely comments, and for all people who are willing to give 'Payne' a(nother) chance... I hope to make this verse/story worthwhile for you!

Bruce’s birthday fell on a Tuesday.

He expressly forbid Pepper to go out and buy him a gift; stating her presence alone was already enough of a present. She surprised him by arranging the afternoon at the Kallang Squash & Tennis Center instead. After a brief ten-minute drive, they stood on the beige-colored court, and Bruce twirled a racquet in his hands with a roguish smirk.

“I didn’t know you had a competitive streak, Milady.”  
He stood, dressed in a white polo shirt with matching shorts, and grinned at her with all of his boyish charm.  
Pepper adjusted the strap of her blue racer back sports dress and threw him a poignant look.

“Let’s see if you’re still smiling afterwards, _Mister Preston_. Loser buys lunch.”

They played three rounds of each ten minutes. The odds were in Pepper’s favor for the first two matches, until Bruce had grasped the concept enough to wrap the final match up for himself. When they stood side by side with flushed faces and sipped on their water bottles, Bruce wiped his forehead on the sweatband of his wrist.

“Don't tell me you've not done that many times before.”  
Pepper bit her lip to prevent the laughter from escaping her lips.  
“Here and there.”

The billionaire shook his head and gently nudged her with his racquet in between her shoulder blades.  
“I would've paid for lunch anyhow - without getting sweaty and sore.”  
She kept on walking, towel over her shoulder, and threw him one last amused look before she disappeared in the ladies' changing rooms.

“Oh, I know. But it's been more fun this way.”  
  
After each had showered and changed, Bruce treated her to a sumptuous lunch at the Hide Yamamoto sushi restaurant on the second floor of their hotel. Too tired for anything else, they make use of the hotel’s superb spa for the rest of his birthday and got pampered until they dozed off in their respective bathrobes in the relaxation room.

To her surprise, Pepper was the first to reopen her eyes, and her gaze wandered over to the man by her side. His face was relaxed for once, and she knew her presence that day had been the right thing to do. However, the longer she stayed and hid away from the unpleasant truths at home, the bigger the rift between her and Tony would become.

A nagging fear welled up inside her as she pictured her husband surrounded by young, hot girls with nothing on their mind but to bed the famous Tony Stark. Pepper wondered if his anger might lead him to putting action to her accusing words, and she squeezed her eyes shut against the mental image. While the nameless girls vanished before her inner eye, the face of Natasha Romanov persisted.

“You look like you're miles away.”  
  
Bruce's gentle voice shook her from her reverie, and Pepper looked over to his tousled appearance underneath the hood of his bathrobe. She smiled, and he returned it. “I just realized we've almost slept through your entire birthday.” With long, careful motions, the billionaire began to stretch on his recliner. He ran both hands through his hair and brushed the hood down in the process. She caught a glimpse of his clavicle.  
  
“You say that like it's a negative thing.”  
With his hands folded upon his stomach, Bruce gave a satisfied grunt and yawned. Pepper threw him an amused look.  
“Well, it _is_ your day of course – and it's not over yet. What do you want to do for the rest of the evening?”

His eyes fixated hers as Bruce Wayne remained silent for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was low and deep.  
“Have dinner with me. And a swim in the pool later on.”  
Pepper swallowed. She tried to tell herself his glance did not hold a hint of a smolder, nodded, and collected her towels instead.

***

They dined at Sky 57; one of the many great restaurants run by a celebrity chef the Marina Bay Sands had to offer. Over Franco-Asian cuisine, Bruce allowed her ask him about his future travel plans. “I don't know yet, to be honest. I loved Italy, even though Dubai was nice, too.” He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. “But sadly, a certain _someone_ foiled my housing plans, so I'll have to continue living out of my suitcase.”

Pepper placed her tableware aside, dabbed her mouth and pursed her lips. “Poor baby. _I_ had a very upset and depressed real estate agent to answer for because of _you –_ and needless to say, the villa still isn't sold. You might ask for the keys sometime.” Bruce grasped his glass of red wine. He raised his eyebrows as a trademark smirk played around the corners of his mouth.

“Oh, no. Onwards and upwards as they say.”  
Pepper also reached out for her glass and toasted him before she took a sip.  
“Does that mean you're not coming back?”

His facial expression never wavered.  
“Back to what?”  
She hesitated at his indifference.

“Back... home? Or don't you ever think about Gotham at all?”  
A part of her felt awful for touching such a delicate topic on his special day, but Bruce's countenance stayed neutral as he put the glass back.  
“I would be lying if I said I didn't. But it's not enough.”

For a moment, neither of them said a word over the decent violin music in the back.  
Eventually, the billionaire morphed his features into a happy facade.  
“Let's not go there tonight – how about dessert?”

***

Bruce excused himself before they got back to their suite, and Pepper took the time to change into the black monokini he had bought for her. After she approved in the floor length mirror of her room, she wrapped herself into a bathrobe and put on some slippers. Five minutes later the door to the suite opened, and he smiled at her appearance.

“Why don't you go ahead? Be with you in a minute.”

He handed her an access card for the elevator straight up to the pool area and disappeared in his room.

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess they've had it coming, you've had it coming, we've all had it coming  
> (am I still making these bad puns? *winces*)
> 
> Inspo for this chapter by Duran Duran's 'Come Undone'  
> (Must. Shut. Up. Now)

When Pepper reached the infinity pool area at 11:15PM, she was surprised to find it completely unpopulated. Her eyes gazed along the vast, smooth surface of illuminated water and how it seemed to blend into the dark skies of Singapore. A mild breeze sent a slight shiver through her body, and Pepper shed the hotel slippers to dip her toes into the water.

It had a pleasant temperature and she slid out of her robe, placed it onto one of the many recliners around, and immersed herself into the warm water. She decided to swim over to the rim of the pool and marveled at the view, fifty-seven stories high above Singapore's bustling metropolis.

“How's the water?”

Bruce's voice made her turn around and she saw him dressed in an open bathrobe which revealed a pair of swim shorts that left nothing to be desired. While the Gothamite had always been athletic, his physical transformation post-Extremis was more than spectacular. Somehow, Pepper still managed to keep her eyes on his face.

“Amazing. Come on in.”  
  
With a smooth dive, he did. He emerged a few feet from her and shook the water from his eyes and hair. Bruce then beamed at her. “Indeed.” His gaze traveled down. “But I didn't really get to admire your bikini this way.” Upon his mock-pout, Pepper poked her tongue at him, before she turned and swam towards the nearby end of the pool.

Once she reached the tiled wall, she turned around and watched him peek over the rim into the distance, just like she had done beforehand.

“How come we're alone in here tonight?”  
Her voice got him to swim over to her in a few strokes.  
“Because it's past closing times already.”

His smug expression earned him an impatient eye roll.  
“And because I organized the area to be private for tonight.”  
Pepper shook her head despite the smile which crossed her countenance.

“You're almost as bad as Tony with your extravaganza.”

Bruce swallowed and brushed some wet bangs out of his forehead. Under the given circumstances, his brown locks now almost even touched his shoulders. Upon his contemplative expression, she stopped grinning. He then looked at her. “Any idea on how to sort things out between the two of you?” She overlooked the enormous width of the pool in silence for a few moments.

The honesty in his voice had surprised her, and Pepper began to busy her hands with her hair while she averted his gaze. “Not yet. It's gonna be hard when he finds out where I've been... and with whom.” When she looked back up Bruce chewed on his bottom lip. It made her focus on his beard for a second. “You know what they say – the road to hell...” He left the rest of the proverb in the open, but Pepper's brow still furrowed.  
  
“Oh thanks, you're really doing much for my conscience there; let alone inviting me to all of this.” She made a sweeping gesture around and dipped her arm underwater with a splash. His face remained stoic. “Maybe I just felt like spending my birthday with you? Plus, it was _you_ who asked for a distraction – and I simply delivered, best way I could.”

Pepper felt the anger rush out of her and she hooked her arms onto the rim of the pool. “Sorry. I guess I'm just a conflicted mess at the moment. I didn't want to ruin the mood.” When she pushed herself off the rim and up onto one of the many recliners in the pool, his appreciative glance followed her. She laid on her back and watched him swim vigorous laps for a while. Soon, his voice wavered over from afar.

“It looks much better on you than on the hanger, by the way.”  
Pepper pursed her lips and tugged at the bandeau top to ensure she was covered.  
“It's more than sketchy. I wouldn't want anyone to press charges because of indecency.”

At that, Bruce just looked smug.  
“Nobody would. And it does fit - I do have eyes, you know?”  
He completed a final lap to come to a rest at the end of her recliner, pushed himself up, and placed muscular arms atop of it.

“I take it you're not much of a swimmer?”  
She regarded him with a chiding expression over her crossed ankles.  
“Don't get cute with me, mister. I already beat you big-time at squash today.”

Then she stretched her arms over her head, mindful of the view she gave him. Bruce's eyes narrowed good-naturedly at her tease. “How about a rematch then? Race you to over there...” He let go of the recliner to point one arm at the far end of the pool. “...and back. Loser buys drinks.” Pepper sat up and folded her legs Indian style. “Pah, sure. You only say that cause you _know_ you're going to win, Phelps.”

Bruce made a mock-generous sweep across the length of the pool. “Okay, one way only and head start for you if you don't chicken out, Milady.” His presumptuous smile made her eventually stand up on the recliner to look down on him with indignation and arms akimbo. She wondered where his exceptional cheekiness had come from all of a sudden and, without another word, took a header into the blue.

The only sound Pepper heard was her controlled breathing while she cut through the water as fast as she could. She did not attempt to turn and check whether Bruce was already hot on her heels in order not to lose precious time. When she was on the home stretch and could all but touch the rim of the pool, a dark shadow appeared underneath her and overtook her on the last few yards.

Only by inches, Bruce surfaced right in front of her and finished first.  
Pepper was out of breath and more than peeved.  
His white teeth shone at her when he turned around and blinked against the rivulets of water in his eyes.

“Winner.”  
Out of impulse, she reached out and sprayed his idiotic grin with an armful of water.  
“Cheater!”

The dumbfounded look on his face made her snicker in return. In less then five seconds, they all but romped around the poolside like kids. After Pepper managed to dip him underwater with all her might, the billionaire got a hold on her waist. When his nimble fingers started to tickle her, she shrieked out with laughter and smacked his chest.

“Cheater. That's what you are!”

Too caught up in the fun, Pepper failed to see how his expression became serious at first. When Bruce stopped tickling her and just held her in his arms she eventually fell silent. Upon his close proximity, she stared at the droplets of water caught in his long lashes.

“I never needed to cheat. Everything works out in my favor if it's meant to be.”  
  
The change in atmosphere underneath the stars of Singapore was palpable. Somewhere in the distance, a chime of bells started to play. The bluish hues of the infinity pool mirrored on Pepper's face. She made use of the distraction to put a little space in between her and Bruce's body, and clung to the rim. His dark eyes briefly flickered towards the faint, melodic noise that wavered over from across the bay.

“Midnight.”  
His voice was rough, but it was her who cleared her throat.  
“You should... make a wish before your birthday is over.”

Her soft voice let the final inner barrier of Bruce crumble to pieces. In a swift move he had her pinned at the rim of the pool. Too stunned by the burning desire within his gaze, Pepper heard how a slight whimper escaped her lips, just before his crushed onto hers with untamed hunger. While Bruce's mouth was busy, his hands became occupied underwater, and he ran large palms up and down her sides.

To the sounds of the fading midnight chimes, the warm water lapping gently around her frame, and the arousing ministrations of the man in front, Pepper felt she was losing control. A part of her amended she could not lose what she never had control over. Before her hands also got a life of their own, she opened her eyes and forced him backwards with a soft but determined push.

Bruce breathed heavily, but conceded.

Neither said a word, and she fled from his embrace to hurry back to where her forlorn bathrobe laid. In an attempt to defuse the situation she left the water, covered her skimpy attire and turned back around. He still stood at the same place within the pool and looked at her; eyes unreadable. Bruce then averted her gaze and threw himself into the water to swim the length of the pool again with strong, fast strokes.

Pepper stumbled into her hotel slippers and walked back into the suite, head down and hair dripping onto plush carpeting with every step.

She left the lights turned off, closed the door behind her and leaned against it for a moment as everything inside her reeled. What was worse than after their first kiss in Dubai were the feelings Bruce had managed to awaken in her; feelings Pepper thought she had overcome after marriage. She did not want to blame Tony's absence or their fall-out for her actions and feelings; both too threadbare and insufficient by far.

The young woman did not know how long she had stood there like in a trance, but the clicking sounds of Bruce's key card shook her out of it.

Pepper detached herself from the entrance to brace against a nearby sideboard instead. His hair was equally damp and he took in her lost state of mind as he closed the door behind him, stepped into the living room and shed his slippers as well. Pepper wiped a flared sleeve across her forehead before her hands felt for the edge of the furniture again.

Bruce moved forward and put the key card next to her arm. Their gazes met inevitably. Pepper knew she should try and move away from him, but remained frozen to the spot. Her heart hammered from her chest all the way down to her lower body. Bruce looked at her with a desperation she did not remember him to own and a visible struggle against temptation.

“We can't...”  
Pepper's voice shook, as did her legs. When he leaned in, quivers ran up her spine.  
His hands trapped her to the sideboard as he buried his face within the juncture of her neck.

“Do you remember this?”

She heard the slight tremors in his words as his lips found the well-known spot near her collarbone with ease. A low moan was her only answer, and Pepper pulled her hands free to dig them into the thick, wet strands of his hair. She heard him inhale sharply as her fingers traveled down his neck and shoulders and made contact with his warm, firm skin underneath the robe.

His hands then all but tore the belt of her bathrobe open and he let it slide down to the floor.  
She shivered.  
“God, yes...”

As she fought for balance against the wall behind her, her palm pressed onto a switch, to which the down-lights in the far corner of the living room came alive. In the twilight, Bruce's features were sharp angled; his eyes dark with lust. When Pepper thought she was able to take a deep breath, let alone try and formulate a single straight thought, his hot mouth was on hers once again.

She felt a tingling sensation rising deep down inside of her, and her resistance and hesitation faltered.  
It could and would not lead anywhere but tonight.  
It could and would mean nothing but the sake of the past.

She roamed her hands over his chiseled chest and abs, enjoyed the change in his breathing upon her ministrations, and felt him start to explore her body as well. When his fingers pulled down the bandeau top of her monokini and palmed her breast, Pepper threw her head back against the wall. He took the invitation to dip his head low to kiss his way all the way down her body, and pulled the rest of the swimsuit off in the process.

A guttural groan escape her lips at the sight and feel of his dark head in between her legs. When he reappeared in her foggy field of view, Pepper felt his arousal pressing into her hip. In no time, she had freed him from his swim trunks and wrapped her hand around him. His heavy panting in her ear, Bruce then invaded her mouth again, tongue mirroring his desired actions, and lifted her in a strong embrace with ease.

With her back pressed up against the living room wall, Pepper moaned with pleasure as he entered her with a satisfied grunt of his own. His hands grabbed her buttocks tight as he started to move, exquisitely slow at first, and made the effort to look at her for any signs of discomfort. What he saw upon her face with closed eyes was sheer bliss, as Pepper wound her legs tighter around his hips to give him even more access.

Her hands curled around his biceps; nails digging hard into his skin. He clenched his teeth and shifted, until he was able to suck at one of her hardened nipples. Without warning, Pepper bucked violently underneath him. When he heard hear cry out his name, it set him over the edge as well, and he steadied them with one hand against the wall as he spent himself.

For a few seconds, only heavy, ragged breathing filled the air.

Pepper rested her head back against the wall, and felt Bruce refasten his hold onto her with both palms. She opened her eyes when his forehead touched hers, a slight sheen of moisture upon it. His eyes remained closed. After a few more moments, he started to move, and Pepper felt warmth run down the insides of her thighs. Instead of trying to find words, he scooped her boneless form up and carried her over onto his bed.

Bruce's muscular form spooned behind her as he threw the blanket over them and placed an arm across her waist.  
“I've failed you again, but just let me have this moment where we're still... us.”  
His voice rumbled against her back and she closed her eyes in shame.

“...we both know how this ends.”  
Her voice was not her own, Pepper realized. It made Bruce's fingers splay out onto the bare skin of her sternum.  
“Yes. At the break of day.”

No further words were spoken as they fell into a light slumber.

During the night, Pepper woke with a renewed hunger for the man beside her, which she had not felt in an eternity. Her mind was trying to justify her actions by switching off the rational part as she roused Bruce with her gentle mouth and fingers; enjoyed his moans which were like heady music to her ears, and got lost within his dark, passionate ways again.

They made love two more times till sunset.

 


	12. Chapter 12

Malibu, 19th  February 2013

Tony Stark entered his darkened mansion on a Tuesday evening at 2AM. His clothes reeked from cigarette smoke and the faint whiff of cheap woman’s perfume after some jailbait had flung herself at him for a picture at the Chateau Marmont in L.A. Tired, the billionaire dragged his feet into the lifeless villa, threw the car keys into the silver bowl on the sideboard, and walked over to the panorama front of his living room.

Nights out had lost their appeal; way before he and Pepper had parted ways almost three weeks ago. Tony’s heart meanwhile had spent all of its anger and wounded pride, and resented to feeling lonely and desperate. He pulled out his mobile phone and stared at it.

“Jarvis?”  
“Yes, Sir?”  
“De-program the interlock function for Pepper’s mobile.”

The AI did as it was told. Immediately, Tony’s screen flashed with dozens of missed call icons. A single voice-mail message blinked on, after he had deleted numerous callback messages. After his thumb had hovered over the button for the longest time, Tony put the phone to his ear and listened to his wife's voice for the first time in days.

_'I hope you take care of yourself, despite everything. I never meant to start a war, Tony, I just... just give me something to believe in.'_

The Californian billionaire listened to the message six more times. The first time after his shower, three more times when he rolled around in bed afterwards, and could not find sleep until 5AM. Again next afternoon, when his lack of concentration almost led to blowing himself up in the workshop, during a test run with a misfiring jet-pack engine.

After Tony groggily came to minutes later and shook himself out of the post-explosion haze, he warded off DUM-E with the fire extinguisher. When the ringing in his ears had finally stopped, the inventor then scrambled over to his phone, listened to the message one last time, and sat cross-legged on the floor of his workshop where he formulated a reply with soot-stained fingers.

***

Singapore, 20th  February 2013  
  
  
The morning after Bruce’s birthday, Pepper was the first one awake. With care she turned onto her back; away from the tantalizing sight of Bruce’s tanned, muscular and naked form prone on the sheets next to her, still asleep. Nimble fingers searched for her mobile to check upon the time, and she was surprised to see it was only a little after 6AM.

When the device blinked an unread message at her, Pepper opened it without hesitation. The words blurred as her vision started to tear up.  
_'I can't live without you. God knows I've tried.'  
_ It was the message Pepper Stark had been waiting for so long, on the other end of the world.

The realization she had gone and made a mistake even more severe caused her stomach to churn, and she had to dash for the bathroom where she emptied last night’s dinner into the bowl. Before she returned to the darkened bedroom, her eyes came to rest upon the orchid from Bruce in a small vase on the living room table. It had started to wither after it got cut off from its branch; unable to survive or hold its beauty for long.

Pepper swallowed around the taste of mouthwash. She knew she had to make a painful break rather than to drag out the agony for all parties involved any longer. Just then, Bruce stirred and turned his head towards her. A hazel eye regarded her as she squirmed a little in her state of undress; shy all of a sudden. She sat on her side of the mattress as he reached out to draw a slow line from her bare hip to her tailbone.

She looked down at him over her shoulder.  
“The night is over.”  
He twisted until the sheets covered at least the lower part of his body, and turned onto his left.

Without a word he continued to stare at her, keeping his outstretched hand, palm up, on her bedside. Exhaling deep, Pepper stood up to collect her clothes from the prior night, and disappeared in the bathroom. Once she was out of sight, the Gothamite rolled onto his back, crossed his arms behind his head, and stared up at the ceiling.

***

Malibu, 22nd February 2013  
  
  
Much to her surprise, Tony was there to pick her up from the airport.

He stood, hands in his pockets and eyes hidden behind a pair of dark shades, at the Tom Brady International terminal. Pepper re-gripped the handle of her trolley case and forced her breathing to be calm as she walked up to him. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed a handful of people pointing their mobile phones at them. Some even dug out large cameras.

As Pepper forced a neutral, friendly expression on her face, Tony seemed to have noticed the paparazzi as well. His posture switched from resigned slouch to the cheerful looking personae people were used to in the blink of an eye. He had a big grin on his face as she stepped up to him; unsure how to approach him after the long absence. Unable to see his eyes, Pepper focused on his wide, faked grin as he spread his arms.

“Welcome home.”  
  
The kiss they shared felt awkward, forced, and as much of a public display as it was. While snapshots of their reunion were taken, Pepper wished to be just as anonymous and inconspicuous as other people. Tony gave the shouting paparazzi a final thumbs up, grabbed her luggage and her hand, and started making his way out of the terminal.

As soon as they sat secured in his Acura NSX, Tony pressed ignition and the concept car sprang to life with a powerful roar. Wordless, the billionaire headed out into the bustling traffic around LAX and Pepper shifted in her seat. "How did you know where to pick me up?” She cleared her throat as Tony shrugged. Her eyes fell on his left hand that rested atop the steering wheel, and on the massive wedding band on his finger.  
  
“You didn’t charter one of the jets. Jarvis was able to figure out the rest.”  
  
He fell silent again after that, and she did not know what else to say. Their drive back took about forty-five minutes, and for any occasional question Pepper uttered she got polite, but one-syllable answers from him. After they arrived at the mansion, Tony exited the car without waiting for her and busied himself with her luggage once more.

Subdued, Pepper followed him into their living room where he left the suitcase standing at the bottom of the stairs. When he turned around to face her and slowly pocketed his shades, Pepper’s heart ached at the sight of the dark circles under his eyes. At the prominent anguish on his face, she felt like she was on the verge of losing control of her feelings and stepped closer into his direction.  
  
“Tony… we have to find a way to figure this out.”

He ground his jaw, said nothing, and averted her eyes to stare sideways at the ground. When he spoke, his voice was flat and lifeless. “Listen, I... I don’t care where you’ve been - or if you don’t love me as you might have thought you did. I _know_ I'm damaged goods, 'kay? But _I_ love _you_ , even if it kills me. I guess I’ll always do, no matter what, and…”

With a strangled sound between a sob and a cry, Pepper flung herself at him. Her whole body shook as she clawed at his shoulders and buried her face in the crook of his neck. “God, but I _love_ you, Tony - I don't want to fight anymore! I’m so sorry, I... I don’t know if you can forgive me, but you have to try!” Her face, streaked with tears, looked back up into his large brown, soulful eyes.

“You have to forgive me! You have to!”

Tony Stark wordlessly held his wife as she talked herself into frenzy. Pepper soon was shaking from head to toe and repeating the same sentence over and over again in between her crying fit. Eventually though, he lifted her up, cradled her in his arms and carried her upstairs.

***

She lay and listened into the silence of the spacious bedroom. Her hand kept going in circular, caressing motions through the dark mop of hair that snuggled next to her on the pillow. Tony’s face was buried within her hair and the juncture of her shoulder, and from the sounds of his soft, even breathing she knew he was out for the count.

He loved her - not just with his body but with his heart; Pepper felt it. It relieved and saddened her how he could continue to give so much after getting hurt over and over again, and she hated herself that moment. If anything, her latest indiscretion would haunt her forever; a sharp reminder to stop reaching out for the past when her future was right there, next to her.

Pepper's heart almost busted as it hit her how close she had come to losing him; and still was, in a way. After all, they had not even talked about anything that happened in those past three weeks. She figured if he himself had gone astray in which ever way, they could only survive by facing the storm together. Just then, Tony gave a low whimper, huddled even closer in his sleep, and brushed his warm, bare body against hers.

She closed her eyes and inhaled her husband’s scent before she drifted off into another, dreamless slumber.

 


	13. Chapter 13

Tony was dreaming.

He stood on a cliff. It was foggy, skies were gray, and a stiff breeze pulled at his hair and clothes. When he looked to his feet, Tony saw he was dressed in jeans and shirt instead of his suit, and he wondered how he had even made it up there unassisted. He risked a glimpse over the edge, only to step back when all he saw was an angry white sea hurling against the rocks, about four hundred feet down below.

Tony was not prone to vertigo, but also not eager to get blown off the cliff by the heavy draft. It was cold and he shivered. When he turned and inspected the area behind him, Tony discovered he was cut off as the solid piece of rock stood alone amid the stormy sea. With a frown he hunkered down as the wind started to rise again, and shielded his eyes against the lashing gusts.

A faint voice cut through the howling storm, and Tony raised his head. It was then that he saw Pepper standing on another piece of rock in the distance. She was barefooted, and her hair and the thin white dress she wore wavered in the air to obscure most of her face and body. She stretched out her arm as she called for him again, confused and unsteady, and Tony scrambled to his feet to let her know where he was.

He wondered why she seemed to not see him when he could see her, and waved both his arms. Pepper’s head cocked into the direction of his voice and she made a few steps towards him. Tony panicked as she drew closer to the edge of her cliff, and yelled at her to stop walking. He estimated the distance between them too wide to make it over with a jump, and once more questioned the whereabouts of his suit.

He got frantic when he witnessed her stumble and fall to her hands and knees on the uneven ground, and called her name over and over to see if she was hurt. A huge tremor then went through his bedrock as well, and Tony almost lost his own footing. He remained flat on his belly, crawled closer to peek over the edge again, and saw how the water washed away layer by layer of their tall refuges.

It did not take him long to realize they soon would end up dead in the cold water beneath - if they did not break their necks by falling onto the remaining rocks first. Tony clawed at the rim of the sharp rubble and looked at his wife across from him. Pepper was still on her knees, but when he called for her again, her face shot up and she looked into his direction.

From where he was as close to her as possible, a realization made the billionaire’s blood run cold.  
She was blind.  
Tears pricked at his own eyes as he did not understand what was going on.

When the rock underneath him gave a violent lurch to the right, Tony held on with numb fingers.  
Her desperate voice reached out for him once more, and he eventually was able to make out her words after the second time.  
“Don't leave...“

With a twitch of his upper body, Tony jerked into awareness.  
  
A clammy sheen covered his bare skin, and he pulled the sheets tighter around himself. His bedroom was dark and cool, and after a few deep breaths, he got aware of a presence next to him. Pepper was turned away from him on her side, sound asleep. His need to reassure himself of her well-being made him shift closerr. When she did not stir, he placed his arm around her waist.

Unable to fall back asleep, and uncaring for Jarvis to tell him the time, Tony continued to hold his wife and listened to her breathing. He had not meant for them to end up in bed without any preamble to their rift, but when it came to distinguish between the physical and non-physical levels of love, Tony Stark still had difficulties. His younger alter ego might have approved, but his matured self started to get second thoughts.

Tony had ordered Jarvis to keep the information ban on any of Pepper’s whereabouts so far, except for knowing she had traveled to Singapore, of all places. His genius mind had long since connected the possible dots, but he refused himself any official verification. Seeing was believing, and his tormented soul chose to look away and pretended she came back of her own accord.

***

Malibu, late March 2013

True to Tony's wish, they never chose to speak upfront about those weeks in February.   
  
While it seemed that Pepper's love for him was bigger than before, and she was more relieved with each new day they succeeded in getting back to a new normal, she sometimes saw the shadows crossing Tony’s face whenever he figured she would not be watching. But Pepper did watch, and she did feel remorse whenever she knew who placed them there as well.

Her shy suggestion for trying out couple counseling a week after her return got brushed aside with his usual, flippancy. "No one in the world gets to gloat at us for needing therapy, Pepper. We’re no Mister and Mrs. Smith, but we’ll manage just as fine. On our own.” Therefore, Pepper tried to revel in what he had come to use as means of therapy for them both, which was in between the sheets.

During those times, the shadows seemed to vanish from his face. Nevertheless, noticeable changes had found their way into the Stark household. The most prominent one was Tony trying to make a point in coming home to Malibu at least once a day. After a while, Pepper managed to lose the feeling he was spying on her, and was glad to enjoy his company for either breakfast, lunch or dinner.

A certain sense of domesticity started to creep back into their lives, and it made Pepper oblivious of her physical condition at first. It started out with her not being able to stomach her morning coffee anymore. She switched to tea, thinking she might have caught a bug, but it only made trips to the restroom even more frequent.

Tony often caught her zoning out when she was not at the office, and teased her about working too much. After all, he had kept his S.H.I.E.L.D. working hours at bay for several weeks now, and thoroughly enjoyed pushing Fury’s buttons with his hilarious out-of-office messages.

When Pepper started to feel queasy from the mere sight of her favorite takeout, she decided to confirm her sneaking suspicions. Equipped with a pair of shades, red hair hidden underneath a hat, she drove a detour on her way from work the next evening and bought a Clearblue from a CVS drugstore on Ventura Boulevard.

She kept the little item hidden inside her Givenchy bag as she entered the mansion and dodged Tony’s playful teasing about bad hair day with a hug and a kiss. After dinner -Tony had brought cheeseburgers from Country Kitchen- he disappeared in his shop to tinker with Godkiller’s Mach 6 sustainability, and Pepper went into the master bathroom and locked the door.

With knees drawn to her chest she sat on the rim of their large corner bathtub afterwards and waited. A faint blue plus sign started to get visible after several long minutes and she inhaled sharply before she buried her head in her arms for the next ten minutes, trying to come to terms with her discovery.

***

“Rhodey?”  
She switched her mobile to her other hand and looked towards the vastness of the ocean in front of her.  
“Yeah, hi Pepper – what’s up? How are you?”

“I’m fine, thank you. Have been a little under the weather lately, but nothing major.” Her free hand came to rest upon her stomach to rub it twice. “Oh, I hope it’s nothing serious?” With a small smile she reassured him it was not.

“The reason I’m calling you is Tony’s birthday next week. I’ve been searching high and low for a way to make his day, and from what I managed to squeeze out of him, he doesn’t even want a huge hullabaloo.” Rhodey’s chuckle echoed in her ear. “That’s your good influence, Pep.” She grimaced, even though he had meant it in a good-natured way.

“I’m not opposed to him getting out there and party, Jim. I was just thinking he'd like a little BBQ here at the mansion with just you, Happy, and me.” The man on the other end caught her slight discomfort and tried to make amends. “I didn't mean you’re keeping him on a tight leash, Pepper. Hell, this _is_ still Tony we’re talking about after all.”

They both had to chuckle at that, and she was mollified enough. Rhodey had not gotten wind of their marital quarrel weeks ago, and Pepper felt a twinge of shame at the second time her now-husband had to cover for her absences. The last time Tony had done so, it had taken her over a year to get back to him.

She was glad Jim had been overseas for a good amount of time during that period, or their own friendship would not be as undiluted as it was now. The Lieutenant-Colonel was as protective of Tony as she was, if not more. “You see, Tony never really celebrated his birthday. All those parties here at the old mansion, they were a... show of sorts for the people, and his heart was never really in it.”

Pepper stopped as her words started to make her tear up, and swallowed hard to not let James Rhodes hear. “It’s a good thing he's got you. So BBQ at your place then. What day of the week is it?” She did not have to check her calendar. “A Thursday. Can you go AWOL at Edwards without problems?” James Rhodes all but smiled down the line.

“I'm sure can weasel out of here in favor of the Starkster. Anything you’d like me to bring along?”

She negated. “No, we’re good, thanks. I’m looking forward to seeing you, Jim, and so will Tony.” They wished each other a good time, and Pepper went back inside to organize the little party in less than a week. As she sat and went over her groceries shopping list, she cocked her head upwards. “Jarvis, what’s the name of that place Tony’s crazy about again?”  
  
“Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York, Mrs. Stark. The Sir is very fond of their cronuts these days.”

Her face darkened for a split second, as thoughts about Tony going for coffee and cronuts with Natasha Romanov arose in her mind, and she shook her head as if to wipe the vision away. Tears threatened her again, and she rose from the couch with a heavy sniff. “Okay, can you place an order for a dozen of these to arrive on his birthday, please?” The AI confirmed his actions and fell silent afterwards.

Pepper walked over to the kitchen to get a glass of water when a bout of nausea hit her. With gritted teeth she held onto the kitchen counter and tried to breathe easy to pass the moment. “Mrs. Stark, I am detecting you are unwell. Shall I contact the Sir?” Her head shot up, frantic. “No, no, Jarvis, I’m fine. I may have just…” She closed her eyes as another wave of bile wanted to force its way up her throat. “… eaten something wrong.”

“With all due respect Madam, my bio-monitoring sensors have detected another source responsible for your uneasiness. May I just…" Pepper then did something she had not done ever since the night before Tony’s return from Afghanistan. “Jarvis, run service erase protocol phase zero point five, please.”

“Very well Mrs. Stark. Which time frame should be deleted from the mainframe?”  
“All of my medical reports from March onward, please.”  
With shaking hands, Pepper raised the glass to her lips while Jarvis did as he was told.

Even if she could take precautions to make their AI immune to spilling her secret, Pepper knew she had to tell her husband soon.

 


	14. Chapter 14

Malibu, 4th April 2013

  
On his birthday, Tony awoke to the tender feeling of his wife nuzzling his neck. Without a word spoken between them, he pulled her into an embrace on top of him, and they shared a quiet, sensual encounter that left them spent in each others arms afterwards, with him spooning up from behind. Tony's arm wound its way around her midsection to softly caress her flat belly, and Pepper all but started to stop breathing.

“I want every day to be my birthday if it means I get to wake up like this.”

His deep voice rumbled into her ear and she shifted slightly. Her motions made him let go of her waist, and she twisted until she could look into his deep brown eyes. Over the course of the past few weeks, Tony had gotten back to being more relaxed with and around her, and Pepper relished seeing him back to his old ways before their conflict almost tore them apart.

“Oh, you'd be bored in a week, my love, but today's gonna be special as it is.”  
He tucked both of his fists underneath his chin with a gorgeous, excited expression.  
“Ha. If that means breakfast in bed, I'm so game and ready to be pampered.”

With a peck to his nose, Pepper rose from their bed and slipped into her bathrobe. She made her way downstairs, turned on the coffee machine and began to make his favorite breakfast eggs. Amidst her preparations, a well-known bout of nausea left her to dash for the guest bathroom around the corner. There, Pepper retched violently for moments on end until she was left with nothing but dry-heaving.

Afterwards she rose to her feet with shaking legs, turned up the faucet to splash cold water into her face and rinsed her mouth. One final look into the mirror at her flushed face made her grimace, but she unlocked the door and stepped out. She froze when Tony's silhouette stood in the open doorway near the kitchen. He was dressed in his boxer shorts and had thrown over a bathrobe.

Underneath a too long sleeve he pointed one arm into the direction of the stove, where the water had boiled over and sizzled out loud.

“Jarvis told me something here was about to scorch, so I came to check...”  
His voice trailed off and his expression was distraught as he eyed her.  
“What's wrong with you? Are you sick?”

Pepper exhaled and escaped his scrutiny by walking over to the kitchen counter. She pushed the pot off the hot plate and fetched a spoon. The eggs had cracked and were inedible, so she poured away the water and scooped the remains of egg whites into a nearby garbage can.

“No, no, I'm not sick, I just...”

Her hormones threatened her with another wave of tears coming her way, and she closed her eyes against the prickle. She heard Tony's barefooted shuffle on the marble floor. When he spoke, his voice was right behind her. “You're... what? C'mon Pep, I've heard you almost puking your intestines out in there, okay? I need to know what's wrong!”

He sounded alarmed, and she braced both her hands against the kitchen counter.  
“It's... Tony, I'm pregnant.”  
She hung her head low as a couple of tears dripped onto the black granite counter top.

For a few moments, none of them said another word until Pepper sniffed.  
“I wish there would've been a better way to tell you.”  
From the corner of her eyes she saw Tony's hands coming around her body to cover hers.

She felt him lean against her, and felt his familiar ARC in between her shoulder blades.  
“How long has it... I mean – how long have you known?”  
His voice was steady, but quiet.

“About two weeks. It's... not even a hundred percent out of the woods yet, so I wanted better timing.”

Pepper stared down to where his large palms rested upon hers, and pulled her right hand free to wipe at her eyes. When he breathed in deep she started to shake and felt as if she was going to be sick again. “Say something, please. Even if you're not happy with it, I need to know what you think, Tony. Please. Talk to me.” Her voice took on a desperate tone and his arms, strong and warm, went around and clasped her waist.

In slow motion, Tony then let his forehead sink against the nape of her neck.  
“Do you want this, Pep? Would it make you happy if we had a baby?”  
His breath was warm on her skin.

A sound between laughter and sobbing escaped her lips, and she pressed the heel of her hand underneath her nose. She was glad he did not get to see her puffy, red-rimmed eyes. Her left hand went to cover his, and she felt and heard their wedding bands clink together. “Of course I want this! I've wanted us to have a family for so long; not just you and me and... and the bots.”

His arms tightened around her.  
“Then it's... the most wonderful gift you could make me on my birthday.”  
Tony kissed the delicate cervical underneath her skin and held her for a moment.

When he released her and Pepper turned around, her eyes roamed around his face before she pulled him into a real hug. She had seen his ever so slightly furrowed brow, the hesitation on his face, and decided to give him time to process the information. Together they would have to work on his fear of fatherhood in the long run. “Get back into bed. I'm going to make you some pancakes, okay?”

With a final wipe over her face, Pepper straightened her back and went over to the refrigerator. She missed out on the wistful look her husband threw her before his face morphed into a happy facade and he nodded. As soon as he had scuffled back upstairs, Pepper hummed a little to herself as she prepared their breakfast. A part of her felt indefinitely relieved.

***

Around 3PM, Happy arrived. He brought along the pre-ordered batch of cronuts Jarvis had delivered to his place, to keep Tony from snooping around the mansion. Said billionaire immediately took the first piece of out of the big present box. Mouth full, he hugged his long-time friend and thanked him for his congratulations. Pepper also greeted Happy with a hug before she ushered him out onto the patio.

He rubbed his hands together and glimpsed at the huge BBQ station. “Shall I start?” Pepper nodded, snatched the box from Tony's hands as he was about to fish for another cronut, and took it with her. She turned in the open doorway and smiled at her husband’s indignant expression. “Yes, go ahead Happy. I'll get the rest.” Tony looked from one to the other and pranced after her.

“Which 'rest'? Pepper, hey – come back with those things – why doesn't anybody tell me anything? It's my birthday after all!” He made a grab for the cronut box, but she raised them in a swift move over his head and went inside. She heard Happy laugh at something Tony mumbled, and stored them away at a safe place in the kitchen. The doorbell rang again, and Pepper craned her neck towards the patio.

“Tony, would you mind…?”  
He threw her a scandalized look around the panorama glass door.  
“Why am I reduced to the dirty work on my birthday? And where are the darn cronuts?”

Her stern glare turned his protest into a pout as the doorbell rang again.  
“Ya, ya, ya. Jarvis, go ahead and open the door – I’m coming, I’m coming..”  
Tony grumbled on as he walked to the main entrance. Outside stood James Rhodes with two six packs of Corona and grinned.  
  
“Bout time you opened up, old geezer. Happy birthday, man.”  
Tony laughed out loud and engulfed his best friend in a big hug.  
“Well, fuck me sideways - Rhodey in civvies and with drinks. Never thought I’d live to see that day again. C’mon in.”

When the two men reentered the kitchen, the smell of burning charcoal wafted in from the terrace. Pepper had put salads, bread and antipasti outside on the large garden table, and was just about to grab some cutlery. "Jim, glad you could make it!” He placed the six packs onto the kitchen counter and took her in his arms. “Wouldn’t miss it for anything in the world.”

Rhodes released her to put one pack of beer into the huge fridge.  
“Why’s it though that Tony looks as if he didn’t have a clue?”  
He pointed his thumb at his friend.  

“Oh no, that’s just his standard expression.”  
  
Pepper laughed at her husband’s indignant expression as she passed him by. Lightning fast, Tony then grabbed her waist. After a millisecond, his mouth warped into a tight-lipped smile. “Seems as if this day continues to be full of surprises indeed.” Her eyes darted within his dark ones for a second, but then Tony released her, and went outside where Happy threw steaks and patties onto the grill.

“Now this is my kinda party!”

She saw her husband grab three beers before Rhodey could store them away, and handed one to his friend. He clinked their bottlenecks together and took a large gulp before he went with the other one outside to hand it to Happy. Rhodey carried a couple of plates outside, where Tony was lazing about on a deck chair with his feet propped up on the table and leisurely sipping on his beer.

Happy laughed at something he had just said and turned the burger patties around. When Tony noticed her setting the table, he finished his beer and put his feet down. As he made an awkward move to help, Pepper ruffled his hair with affection. “Thanks birthday boy, but I’ll manage just fine from here. Stay put.” With a wide grin he got up anyhow, pressed a kiss to her cheek, and went to get himself another beer.

Happy announced the first round of grilled goods only minutes later, and the four of them gathered at the table. Conversation was light, even though Pepper kept on stealing furtive glances at her husband each time he went for another round of drinks. Happy and Rhodey both declined after two beers, but Tony could not seem to get enough.

Around 9PM, when the sun was low and the plates were empty, Pepper started to collect the dishes and went inside to put them into the dishwasher. Footsteps erupted behind her, and her husband’s arm wormed its way around her belly. “Hey there, gorgeous. Don’ overwork yourself here – ya know why, right?” Tony's speech was a little slurred and he began to nuzzle her neck.

Pepper held onto the kitchen counter to steady herself, as he bumped into her before he caught his footing.  
“No more beers for you tonight, honey, you’re wasted.”  
She tried to keep her tone light and playful, but the rebuke was there nonetheless.  
  
“Aww, c’mon, ‘s my birthday isn’ it? I shoulda be doin’ what I want. And whom I want.”  
  
His fingers went up a little higher and started to caress her breast. Pepper squirmed under his touch and tried to gently ward him off. “Tony.” He kept on fondling her, and she grasped his hand tight. “Tony – stop!” She twisted around to look at him. He smelled of beer and barbecue sauce and his eyes were red-rimmed. With a diffuse smile, his right hand wandered down to her thigh and cupped her backside.

“Don’t’cha love me anymore, Pep?”  
He leaned in to kiss her, but she drew her lips away and took his face in between her hands. Tony pouted.  
“If _you_ love _me_ , please go and drink water for the rest of the night."

The billionaire placed a heavy forehead against hers and she let him. His eyes were closed, and he swayed a little in her more or less embrace. "Ssssorry." Pepper's hands went up and stroked his hair. It had gotten a bit longer in the past couple of weeks, and curled in his neck again. "It's okay, there's always my next birthday to make up for it."  
  
He gave her an adorable, stupid grin and opened his eyes again.  
"At least I didn't spill it."  
"Spill what?"

"The... _secret_."  
He made a shushing noise, put his index finger to his lips, and giggled at his own actions.  
She tilted her head. "Wha..." Then it dawned on Pepper. "Oh."

Tony nodded emphatically. "I don' want _anyone_ t'know. 'S too early. Let's do it like dis..." He detached himself from her and drew back to gesture between them. “We gonna keep it low 's long's possible from the public, till people see you're gettin' big an' all. Then we'll tell em that you're not jus' packin on the pounds.” Her eyes narrowed, but she did not want to let on how hurt she felt, even if he found it funny.  
  
“Rhodey and Happy are not the public, Tony. They're family.”  
Like a switch, his face went sour and Tony looked downright angry. He threw his arms up in the air.  
“Don' I have any say 'n this or what? I jus' said we're not tellin!”  
  
Pepper turned around and continued to stack the dishwasher. “I'll be seeing a doctor by the beginning of next week. Then we're official - if you like it or not.” With a brisk move, she brushed past him and started to put back all used condiments and utensils. Tony hummed a little to himself and ran a hand across the counter. “You won' tell SI or the media – I can, an' _I will_ minimize potential danger t'both of you, period.”

When she faced him , she crossed her arms before her chest. “So my body is just another thing the great Iron Man likes to keep control of? Stop being paranoid, Tony.” Wordless, he turned and headed out for the patio. His voice, too loud and too cheerful, resounded in her ears. It should become the first time in a very long period of abstinence that Tony Stark went and got brutally hammered on his 43rd  birthday.

 


	15. Chapter 15

At some point before midnight, Rhodey and Happy left for their homes, which left Pepper to deal with her semi-coherent husband on her own. She managed to shake him from his beer-induced slumber where he had dozed off on one of the recliners on the terrace.

„Mmpfh?“  
His eyes were glazed as he blinked up into her face.  
„Let's get you to bed.“

Pepper bent down and hooked an arm under his shoulder. Tony made no move to be of any help. „Where's ev'rybody? 'S ma birthday – le's partay!“ She almost toppled over onto him when he pulled her towards him. „Rhodey and Happy went home. It's late and I doubt either of us will get a lot of sleep.“ Inwardly, she had already cancelled appointments and meetings for the upcoming day.  
  
„Teehee – wanna have som' sexy time with me aft'r all, huh?“ Tony leered at her, spread his arms and legs open wide on the recliner and almost slid down on it in the process. „'M all yours t'night, baby.“ Pepper was about to lose her nerve and exhaled loud for him to hear. Then she tried a different tactic. „... yes, but only if you hurry and get into the bedroom – I'm not going to pull a muscle here on that thing.“  
  
That brought the desired effect, and Tony got to his feet with a grunt and a giggle.  
„Gimmeakiss.“  
He leaned towards her with pursed lips and nearly fell.

His wife ground her jaw but said nothing. She steadied, pulled, and pushed his swaying form inside and upstairs with a lot of effort upstairs. Tony flopped across the mattress and remained in a prone position until she returned from the bathroom. Under his snoring, Pepper at least managed to wrestle him out of his sneakers and pulled out the blankets from underneath him to cover them both.

By the time she had cleared both their schedules for Friday and turned off the lights, it was already past 1AM.

***

Around 3AM, Tony woke with a queasy feeling in his stomach. He rolled off the bed just in time to reach the toilet in the adjacent bathroom. There, he heaved for at least five minutes straight before he put his arms upon the rim of the bowl and buried his spinning head. „Pep...“ His voice was nothing more then a quiet groan, as another wave of nausea hit him and he resumed retching.

For many months, Tony Stark had not felt that physically miserable. Tears flooded his eyes against his will as he shivered on the cold tile floor.

The next flushing cycle of the toilet woke Pepper from an uneven sleep. She sat up and her attention switched from his ruffled, empty bedside over to where a small glimmer of electric light shone from under the bathroom. She got up and walked the few steps over to the closed door and knocked. “Tony…?” When there was no answer, she swallowed and cracked the door open.

Tony was just trying to get back on his feet to make it over to the sink, but his trembling movements did not look like they would be successful. It was then he realized he was not alone anymore. He glimpsed into her direction and clenched his teeth. “Go on - say it.” Surprised at his hoarse voice, her senses kicked back in and she moved over to help him.

Once he sat on the bathtub rim, she ran warm water into a cup and simultaneously wet a nearby washcloth. “Say what?” Pepper had to nudge him back into consciousness to be able to wipe over his face and neck. She then placed the washcloth aside and raised the cup with clear liquid up to his lips. In slow motion he rinsed his mouth and bent over to spit it behind him into the tub.

Semi-conscious, Tony watched her moisten his toothbrush before she squeezed some toothpaste onto it. “Say this serves me right an’ all…” His wife wedged herself between the sink and his slumped figure, palmed his stubble-roughened cheek with one hand, and started to brush his teeth. Her free thumb gently wiped away some of the white foaming paste that dribbled down his chin.

“No, I won’t cause I don’t think so. Spit off.”

Tony mechanically did as he was told, and once more accepted the cup of water to clear his mouth. Pepper gauged if he was able to get changed on his own while she would get some aspirin, but vetoed that idea. “Can you just sit here for a moment? Be right back.” Tony put his elbows upon the rim of the sink and gave a weak nod as he buried his face within his palms from the harsh electric light.

Pepper went and returned moments later with a pair of flannel pants and a cotton shirt. The sound of her footsteps made Tony take away his hands and give her an unfocused gaze. “Ya don’ havta do this, I…” She shook her head, shushed him and put the fresh clothes aside. Pepper then stepped up and started to remove his rumpled and stained shirt.

She noticed how he avoided her glance and stared sideways whilst trying to stay awake. She continued to work the clothes down his body in silence. “Tony?” He stirred a little in his half doze and finally his eyes met hers. Pepper had just peeled off his shirt, and was about to bend down to pull off his socks. “Mmhh?” After getting rid of the socks, she stood before the difficult task of removing his pants.  
  
“You were right earlier on; I think we should keep it between us for the upcoming time.”

Plunging the plug into the sink, Pepper started to run warm water and added a few drops of shower gel. When Tony sensed he was about to get undressed -even if not for the usual purpose- he started to fumble with the buttons on his jeans. As he sat there in his underwear, the coldness of the bathtub rim at his thighs made him squirm.

“… luy'ya, Pep. Nevermeant t’make ya mad.” Pepper fought the urge to break into tears. This was her Tony; the sensitive one who understood, and who wanted to make everything okay if it was in his power. However, she also knew his very own demons would stay with them for time being. “I know, Tony - love you too. Let’s not argue like this anymore.”

She put his hands on her shoulders, pulled him upwards and yanked off the jeans and boxer shorts from around his ankles. He sat down again, nude and quiet, and she dipped the washcloth in the sink. The smell of his shower gel hung in the air as Pepper started with his head and tenderly rubbed the wet rag a few times over his hair first before she wandered down his face and body.

Tony sensuously closed his eyes, and Pepper decided they soon had to repeat this at a more suitable point of time. Eventually she pulled the plug, wrung out the washcloth and reached for a towel. When she was finished, she wrestled him into pants and shirt and pulled his limp head against her chest, her fingers combed through his thick, damp hair.

She regarded him for a few moments, before Tony cracked his eyes open and grabbed the sink to stand up. He stumbled his way over to their bed and left it to his wife to switch off the lights in the bathroom. After he had sunken into the sheets, he raised his head once more, worried. “Pepp'r…?” She slipped in next to him. “Don't worry, I'm here. Try to get back to sleep.”

His hands pulled her close to him. Instead of what usually ended up in a mind numbing kiss revealed itself as an affectionate, innocent embrace, and Pepper gave in. She felt his biceps bulge under his skin as she silently held him just like he held her; pressed herself close to his side, and pulled the blanket over them both.

***

Tony awoke the next morning around 10AM with the feeling his head was about to explode. Prone on his stomach, he tried to recall the previous events, but due to his headache, only bits and pieces came to his mind. Then he felt a warm, soft presence next to him, and ran his hand over what turned out to be Pepper’s waist. She blinked her eyes open and felt him move even before she was fully awake.

Rolling onto her side to look at her husband, Pepper saw him pressing his face into the pillow. Tony's hair had dried and now curled around his ear. Pepper smiled as she regarded the tousled strands when a weak moan erupted from the pillow. She reached out and placed her hand on his upper back. A very sleepy, tired brown eye greeted her.  
  
“I feel like sh…”  
Pepper wriggled out of the blanket.  
“I can imagine. Stay in bed, I’ll get you some water.”

After she had prepared a huge glass of aspirin, she left him alone to try and sleep his miserable condition off. Pepper freshened up, got dressed and went downstairs to make a small breakfast and start up her notebook. She sifted through Tony's and her own mail accounts, gave replies where necessary, or forwarded things to Dwight. Her assistant had been smart enough to create a special folder for all recent birthday wishes. 

When Pepper saw the over two hundred unread emails, she shuddered to think what would await them at the office. Even though the Starks had long since sent out official requests to their business partners, colleagues and friends to refrain from sending flowers or gifts on their birthdays, and rather donate to the Maria Stark Foundation, many people still send lots of impractical stuff nonetheless.

All of a sudden, she was relieved not to head for work after all, politely asked Dwight to send out replies wherever necessary, and let him know she would be working from home office today. As she sat and sipped on her herbal tea with one hand resting on her belly, Pepper then reached for the phone. Much to her surprise, she was able to get a short-notice appointment with her OB-GYN at 11:30 AM, and took the chance.

With one less item on her to do list to worry about, her thoughts strayed to her reconvalescent, significant other. Pepper had not really wanted to buy him something expensive and meaningless as a birthday present, so she decided to swing by the mall afterwards for inspiration. “Jarvis, please let Tony know I’m off to run some errands. Tell him to call me, should he need something from the drug store. I’ll be back in two hours.”

“Very well, Mrs. Stark. Would you like to have Mister Hogan drive you?”

Pepper pondered the question for a moment. Usually, she liked driving solo as much as Tony, but with her lingering sluggishness from a night not well rested, being chauffeured seemed reasonable. “Oh yes, please let him know to pick me up at 11AM, Jarvis. Thank you.” No sooner she had made up her mind, the realization about Happy driving her to Doctor Sherry Thomas, MD and OB-GYN of her confidence, hit Pepper hard.

She bit her lip; despite Tony’s vehement protests from the previous night, she wished to at least have those close to her in the know. Happy would be discreet like as he had always been, with Tony’s antics and indiscretions over the decades. At ten to 11AM, the bulky man arrived in his Audi A6 outside. Pepper had seen to Jarvis letting him in without having to ring after Tony had finally fallen asleep again after retching off the ginger ale and crackers she had tried to feed him.

"Good morning Happy. Thanks for making it on such short notice.” He folded his shades but kept them in his hand. “No worries. Guess the bossman's still out for the count?” He twiddled with the item for a brief moment. “I, uh, wasn’t sure whether you wanted help yesterday. He was pretty out of it by the end.” Pepper rummaged through her purse to make sure she had everything at hand.  
  
“Yeah, been a while. Guess too many surprises simply caught him off guard.” The chauffeur looked at her quizzically as he let her pass him by and walked towards the driver’s side. When Pepper sat next to him and had buckled up, he turned and headed down the mansion’s long driveway up to the gates. “Where to, Ma’am?” She told him the address and he just nodded.

After a brief twenty minute drive and amicable small talk they stopped at the building, and Happy kept on stealing glances between the clinic and Pepper. “Uh, shall I… wait in the car?” He had gotten a faint idea and immediately became uncomfortable. Pepper smiled and grabbed her purse. “I’m not sure how long it’ll take. I can give you a call when I’m done.”

With a curt nod, Happy checked his mobile before he slipped it into his breast pocket. “I guess I’ll be around somewhere for a quick lunch. Take your time and give me a ring.” She thanked him and entered the cool building. Due to her status, Pepper did not have to wait longer than twenty minutes, until she was lying on a stretcher, had her stomach smeared with a cold and bluish gooey paste, and looked at a screen to her right.

“There’s already the hands and the nostrils beginning to form, Mrs. Stark. See?”

Doctor Sherry Thomas moved the transducer probe over to another spot and pressed a button on the CPU. Pepper nodded in awe. The doctor smiled and pointed her chin. “One of the most amazing things that you can see at a seven weeks pregnant ultrasound is the fetal heartbeat.” A warm wave of emotions washed over Pepper as she looked at the small human being inside of her.

Doctor Thomas pressed another button and the printer of the ultrasound machine sprang to life. “The internal organs have formed, and the heart has been beating since the end of the 4th week – I'll give you baby's first picture to show back at home... or is the proud daddy waiting outside?”

"Oh no, he's not. But soon he won't have an excuse to tag along, I'm sure."

When Pepper held the first sonogram of her unborn in her hand, she knew no further trips to the shopping mall were necessary. The doctor quizzed her some more about her eating habits, but everything seemed to be normal. Pepper knew she was already considered a high-risk pregnancy given her age, but Doctor Thomas was reassured to hear she had an appetite.

"It really depends with how soon you are going to show – other women in the seventh week have twice the belly as before. Do continue to work out, but as with most things – everything in moderation."  
  
Pepper thanked her and got dressed again. She got a prescription for a homeopathic tincture against heartburn, and stood at the curb five minutes later. One call and another eight minutes later, Happy's black A6 stopped right in front of her. With a relieved sigh at the pleasant air-conditioning, she slipped into the seat. To make use of the waiting time, she got them two iced coffees from a nearby shop.

Happy put his cup into the bottle holder and brought the car back into the traffic. “Thanks. Sorry for the wait, some people can't properly park.” She took the first few sips and waved him off. He turned the radio down a few notches. "To the office now, Pep?" With a shake of the head she leaned back in her seat. "No, back home please, I'm really beat today. Plus, I need to check on Tony and his hangover.“

Happy frowned as he rounded a corner and headed for Point Dume. "Anything to worry about? I mean, I don't want to be nosy or anything, but you're not...“ He waved a meaty hand up and down Peppers body. "... unwell in any way, are you?" The way he pronounced unwell made her grin around the straw. "No, I'm not, don't worry. I'll just have to take it a little slower in the upcoming weeks and months."

With a jerk on the wheel, Happy was quick to bring the car back into lane. "You're...?" She nodded and gave a little rub to her non-existent belly. "There's going to be a mini-Stark running around the mansion in a little over six months.“ At first Happy just gaped at her, then grinned and hit the wheel with his flat hand. “Bout damn time! Congrats, Pep, that’s some awesome news!”

They both smiled at each other before the bodyguard looked thoughtful. “It’s unlike the bossman to keep his mouth shut about something big like that though.” Pepper remembered her husband’s drunken pledge from the previous night, and tried to keep her expression neutral. “Caught him by surprise, like I said. And as you know, Iron Man’s quite protective of his family. He doesn’t want a lot of people to know yet. Everyone's the enemy, you know?”

They went up on PCH where Happy kept a moderate pace. “Fair enough. Just tell me if you need anything, okay?” She grinned at him. “You mean before I eventually snap and bite Mister Overprotective's head off? I’ll keep that in mind, Happy, thanks.” He dropped her off safely at the mansion, and told her to give him a ring whenever she would need a driver.

“Jarvis, is Tony still sleeping?”  
She threw the newspaper from the mailbox on the coffee table and looked around.  
“No, Madam, Mister Stark is in his workshop after taking a shower twenty minutes ago.”

Pepper nodded to herself and took the stairs down to his refuge. Tony was dressed in some loose-fitted pair of jeans and a lilac t-shirt with a gray long-sleeve underneath. He looked as if he had not bothered to style his hair so far and left it to dry all combed back. When he noticed her enter, a faint smile crossed his face. “Heard you and Happy went downtown.”

She nodded and crossed the distance towards him where he half-sat on his workbench. With her arms around his neck, she enjoyed the feel of his embrace around her midriff. “Figured I make use of my free morning to get a few things done. You're feeling a little better by now?” Pepper started to run her hands through his hair. Tony made a soft sound like an affirmative purr and placed his forehead on her shoulder.

“So what's the verdict?”  
His voice was a bit muffled against her blazer.  
“Whose - Happy's or Doctor Thomas'?”

Her billionaire lifted his head and repeated Hogan's name. There was a calm realization in his eyes, and it made Pepper wonder what or how much of their nightly conversation in the bathroom he actually remembered. “Looks like I have two mother hens to look out for me in the foreseeable future.” Tony smirked, rested his head near her collarbone again, and interlinked his fingers behind her back.

With care, Pepper extracted her right hand to reach into the pocket of her jacket and felt the sharp edges of the small picture. “I still need to give you your birthday present.” He gave a huge sigh. “Please no afternoon at a roller-coaster park or a lavish Mongolian all you can eat buffet – or a combination of both. Even the thought alone…”

She laughed and pressed a kiss to the crown of his head. “Neither. Even though I’ll keep those in mind for next time; it’s hard enough to get the man who has everything something remarkably unique as it is.” Pepper pulled out the sonogram and reached with her other hand underneath his chin to make him look up at her. “I figured this would be something one of a kind though.”  
  
With a solemn expression, Tony stared at the blurred black and white picture before Pepper gently urged him to take it in his hands. The billionaire scooted further on his table, started to dangle his legs, and studied the shape of the small being. His wife cocked her head, released a breath she did not know she had been holding, and went to sit next to him.

Eventually, Tony’s thumb moved over what was recognizable as the head, and a bittersweet smile crept upon the corners of his mouth. “Wow. This is real.” He looked up and into his wife’s expecting face. “We’re having a baby.” Pepper scooted near and placed her head on his shoulder as they regarded the photo. She hooked an arm under his and felt him shift until his hand cupped her shoulder.

“That we do.”  
Tony then leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple.  
“I love you.”

Her response was paired with another kiss to his lips before Tony drew back and brandished the picture in his hand. “But there’s gotta be a way to make these even better – this is far too blurry!” Puzzled, Pepper looked at him as he wiggled out of her embrace and sprang to his feet. The inventor then shoved the picture into the back pocket of his jeans and snapped his fingers at the silent AI.

“Jarvis, create a new folder - private servers only. Show me the schematic construction of a CPU for a basic ultrasound machine. How many quartz crystals does it take to emit enough electrical current?”

“Transducer probes contain one or more crystal elements. In multiple-element probes, each crystal has its own circuit. Multiple-element probes have the advantage that the ultrasound beam can be steered by changing the timing in which each element gets pulsed, Sir.”

Pepper rose to her feet and looked at Tony as he pulled up several info graphics. “Care to enlighten me? I feel a little left out here.” With all of his boyish charm, Tony grinned at her through the holographics in mid-air. “I'm gonna give our very own 3D-ultrasound machine a try. Can't be too difficult. And might come in handy if you want more and better snapshots of the peanut in the future.”

Even though Pepper laughingly declared she would still have to go to the OB-GYN ever so often, she loved to see a distinctive rise in his enthusiasm for the very first time since telling him of the life-changing news. She left him to his new project and went upstairs to take care of lunch and to rest some more after the exciting morning.

 


	16. Chapter 16

When Pepper started to feel the effects of the pregnancy with each new week, Tony was there to guide her through any of her hardships. The month of May had been the hardest on her so far, and she could not recall to have ever felt so rotten and yet so very much non-pregnant at all in her life. Her husband never complained about her frequent bouts of fatigue or her decreased desire for sex.

Instead he held her forehead when she puked her heart out over the toilet every morning, massaged her swollen feet at the end of a day, and went out of his way to get her anything she developed crazy cravings for. During her fourth month however, the business part of their lives started to demand more of their time, and Pepper made a point in not skipping any more appointments or deadlines if she could help it.

***  
  
Los Angeles, 24th  June 2013  


 

"Tell me once again why we need to do this?“

Pepper cast her husband a withering glare and pulled the lapels of her black blazer together for the umpteenth time. Her belly was still quite non-existent, to which she was glad because it postponed public embarrassment or maternal clothes for time being. “For starters, maybe because it is _your_ name plastered outside this building? And on all other buildings of your company on this planet, for that matter?”

Tony sat, or rather slouched, in his swivel chair and rocked it back and forth in a steady rhythm. He wore an expensive Zegna three-piece suit in anthracite-silver with matching tie. Pepper had persuaded him to attend an appointment with his hairdresser beforehand, to make him look right out of the pages of a GQ magazine for the big, biannual board meeting at Stark Industries’ headquarters.

Right there and then, however, Tony looked as miserable as if he was due for a frontal lobotomy.  
“Yours, too, _Mrs. Stark_. Dunno why they don't let you do this – you'd blow them away.”  
His fingers drummed on the desktop of the huge conference table as he fidgeted some more.

Even though Pepper could not see it, she was almost certain his feet were tapping along, too. Her urge to stop his movements was strong, but she let him have his little bout of stress release. Tony was about to work through at least two and a half hours of business plans and forecasts for the upcoming year, and needed to distribute his energy as much as he could.

Nevertheless, his wife tried to calm him by placing her hand on his impatient thigh. “It’s going to be fine, and you'll do more than fine, like always. Besides, they’ve got nothing but solid figures to comment upon. Quarterly reports were way ahead of plan, and financial reporting shows there's nothing to worry about.” Tony turned his head towards her.

“Even more boring.” A smirk flittered across his lips. “‘ _Bored meeting_ indeed’. I swear, I’m gonna shrivel up and die in here before 10AM.” He tilted his head back, stared at the ceiling and released an audible groan. From the many occupied seats at the far end of the table, Eddie March, Kevin O’Bryan, and Ralph Roberts stole furtive glances at the couple.

Pepper responded with an overly forced, bright smile, and the three men were quick to get back to their own conversation. She patted his thigh underneath the table once more. “Hush now. I’ll buy you some ice cream later on - if you behave.” Before he got the chance to comment on how her own cravings would not make the whole thing more pleasant for him, Pepper’s attention switched to the door.

Loud chatter announced the arrival of several more attendees. Tony refrained from rolling his eyes and got up to greet Arwyn Zurrow, head of the SI Miami facilities. The big, white haired man in a ready-made, pinstripe gray business suit first shook hands with Pepper, who remained seated, before he greeted his superior. “Been a while, Tony. How’s things going on the west coast?”

While Pepper managed to keep her opinion on the smarmy senior to herself, Tony gave an equally fake smile and a suave reply before Zurrow went for his seat at the opposite side of the table. Tony barely suppressed another groan as he plopped back down. “No amount of ice cream's worth this. I want Burger King for dinner and a make-out session with you afterwards.”

He stretched out his arm and interlinked his fingers with hers. Pepper bit her lip to prevent a grin and thumbed through the many pages of the agenda with her free hand. She knew Tony did not need to look at them again; he would wing and ad-lib most parts of his presentation anyway. Even though he never paid much attention to her briefings, married or not, Tony knew more about his company than he let on.

With a quick nod and wave at Roderick Withers, director of Public Relations, and Sarah Jennings from accounts and marketing, Pepper counted no more empty chairs. She overlooked the seats where Carl Walker, Lee Clayton and Ed Deal sat; the latter being invited after he had worked on the VLS-2980 project. Next to her, Tony glanced at his watch, reached out for his cup of coffee and drowned the contents in one big gulp.  

“Let’s rock and roll.”

In a swift move he stood up and unbuttoned his jacket. All eyes were on him as he put his hand on the backrest of Pepper’s chair and bent down to give her a final, brief kiss. Her quiet mumbled ‘good luck’ elicited a wink from him, before Tony straightened his spine and marched to the front where a screened picture of the Stark Industries logo idly flickered on.

He reached into his pocket and pointed a slim device at the screen. After a few flicks of his fingers, the agenda popped up, and all attendees glanced upwards. “Okay everybody, like a great man -probably me- once said: I'm not a businessman, I _am_ business, man. Now let's see how that strategy's been paying off so far this year. And hey, call me sentimental, but I _really_ wanna keep pole position on the next Fortune 500.”

Cheerful laughter rippled through the room, but Tony began to go through the slides of key performance and budgeting, changes in the company's structure, updates and projects in pipeline. Ever so often, his glance would meet Pepper’s, and through their silent communication she made sure to let him know how impressed she was with him.

***

After two hours, one coffee break, and some slight dissension between legal and marketing, Tony ended the final part of his presentation, which was board asks and miscellaneous questions. Just as he had pocketed his device and sauntered back to his chair, Sally McIntyre, Dianne Carruthers and Sarah Jennings stood up.

“Yes, ladies?”

Sarah Jennings watched her colleagues leave for the door with a mischievous expression. “Seeing that the official part of the meeting is done, there’s one more thing that we feel still needs to be discussed, and we’ve had lots of questions and suggestions about how to broach the subject in question…” While she spoke, McIntyre and Carruthers re-entered the room.

In between them they wheeled in a ginormous, multi-layered object hidden underneath a drape. Tony took the seat next to his wife and shared a confused look with her. “… and so, knowing the preferences of our CEO, we have decided that a frontal attack works best.” They pulled away the cover to reveal a colorful, multi-tier diaper cake with lots of toys and stuffed animals.

The entire board then slowly began to clap their hands. Someone even whistled out loud. “All of the Stark Industries’ employees, colleagues and business partners send their congratulations and heartfelt best wishes to the parents to be!”  

Through the sounds of applause and the murmur of congratulations, Tony and Pepper were forced to stand up, shake a lot of hands and, in Tony’s case, accept some hearty slaps on the shoulder. Out of nowhere, a huge bouquet of violets, azalea and apple blossom was shoved into Pepper's arms after she was done hugging most staff and board members.

When Pepper, flushed red from embarrassment, looked at her husband, she saw ire boiling beneath his pretense and fake smile. “Everybody! There’s no way we’re gonna get this huge thing into my sportster...” Tony’s voice boomed over the chatter of the people who had gotten comfortable in little groups post-meeting, sipping coffee and conversing whilst swarming their CEO and his wife.

“... so whoever figures out how to haul it safely out of here gets first dibs on the new sales trainees. Eddie? Eddie – I’m lookin’ at you, pal.”  
  
Laughter filled the room, and eventually, the couple managed to excuse themselves. Their footsteps echoed on the stone floors of the vast corridors as they marched side by side without a word. From the corner of her eye, Pepper glanced at her husband. He had dropped the joyous mask the second the doors shut behind them. His jaw was clenched tight and he walked so fast that she had trouble keeping up.

“Tony? Tony – believe me, I had no idea…”  
He gave a curt shake of the head and screwed up his nose.  
"Somebody did tho, and now all hell’s gonna break loose. Fuck!"

With more force than needed, he pushed a glass door open and busted through. Pepper, still holding her flowers, had to keep a hold of the door as it swung back into her direction. She caught up with him at the elevator where Tony all but punched the button. “Would you calm down? It’s not like someone hacked into SI’s main account and bankrupted the company.”

Tony crossed his arms in front of his chest and glowered at the digits on the display above the closed doors. “What’s taking this fuckin' thing so long?” Pepper rolled her eyes. “I really think you’re overreacting.” He threw her a sinister glare, but before he could respond, the doors of the elevator opened, and four young employees stared back at them in awe.

Pepper brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded politely as she stepped in. The three men and one woman moved to give them as much space as possible inside the fairly large cabin, and pressed themselves up to the far back. The ride downstairs took no longer than two minutes, but during that time, nobody dared to speak a word.

Tony continued to stare vacantly into space, and Pepper picked at the wrapping of her bouquet. With a dinging sound, the doors then swooshed open and the couple resumed their fast pace towards the main exit. Pepper's initial plan had not foreseen them to leave right after the meeting, but Tony’s radical mood swing and foul temper caused her to switch up schedules and tactics.

They reached the R8, which Tony had unlocked right after he got out of the door. A dual blip, then its headlights flashed at them from a distance. The billionaire seemed to remember his manners, however, and went to hold the passenger door open for his wife. With a mumbled thanks, she slipped in and placed the flowers square across her lap.

The roadster howled out with a high-pitched noise as Tony gunned it out of his private parking space and onto the road. No sooner than they had left the Stark Industries premises, he flipped a switch, to which the car lowered its top and transformed into a convertible. Pepper reached for her bag and equipped herself with a pair of shades and a scarf around her neck.

The last thing she needed was a cold, even though the air was heavy with heat and humidity. She felt Tony accelerate as they drove down Malibu Canyon Road, and unconsciously tightened the seat belt around her frame and underneath her belly as the airflow whipped through their hair. Tony also slipped on his own sunglasses and gripped the steering wheel tight between both hands.

They reached the traffic lights at the crossroads towards the Pacific Coast Highway and had to stop.  
“Let's go somewhere for lunch. Geoffrey's is only a few miles away.”  
Pepper put a hand upon her husband's thigh.

“Yes, dear. Of course, dear. Whatever you say, dear.”

His tone was as audacious as the smile he gave her, before he pressed his foot down hard onto the pedal, and the R8 sped off on the PCH. Pepper removed her hand and secured her handbag on the floor in between her feet. When Tony started to speed again, zipping by car after car, concern started to mingle with her underlying annoyance.

“Tony, slow down.”  
He pretended to not have heard, so Pepper repeated her plea; more insistent this time.  
“Tony – please, I feel uncomfortable.”

“Gee whiz – doesn't that make two of us, for once.”  
He cocked his head before he swerved around a van with ease and experience.  
The speedometer approached 90 mph. Her fingers started to dig deep into the leather seat.

„What’s that supposed to mean, Anthony?“  
Pepper saw his hands grip the wheel even tighter.  
“Oho, so it's 'Anthony' now.”

Tony looked at her. Though he wore glasses, there was palpable malice on his face. “Well, _Virginia_ , how'd you think _I_ feel about getting duped each and every time when it comes to the baby, huh? First you go and tell Happy behind my back, and then somehow, mysteriously, SI throws a goddamn baby shower, at the board meeting, for Chrissake! And I'm just standing there like a fool!”

He glanced from the road back to his wife who stared at him, open-mouthed, before she shook her head. “Oh, no, no, no - wait a second. First of all, I just _told_ you I didn’t know anybody at SI knew. And second, Happy certainly is no sellout, if that’s what you’re aiming at, which is so ridiculous I shouldn't even comment on it. I don’t get why you’re making such a fuss about things, Tony, and I’m starting to get tired of it.”

With scorn he laughed.  
“Maybe I’m tired of this crap as well, seeing it’s not even…”  
It was Pepper who first saw the big Kenworth truck coming at them at full speed.

During Tony’s rant, their Audi had veered over onto the other lane without him noticing.  
_"WATCH OUT!”_  
Even as she screamed, Pepper closed her eyes and gripped the door handle to her right.

The truck driver honked and flashed the hazards, and with a knee-jerk reaction, Tony pulled the R8 back into their lane.

Pepper heard her husband curse out and the sound of tires squealing on asphalt, before the world started to spin around her. Due to its high velocity, the sports car drifted onto the sand covered dirt road next to the highway where it performed a half spin, before Tony wrestled the steering wheel into the opposite direction and slammed down hard on the screeching brakes.

They eventually came to a stop as dust whirled up all around them.

For a few heartbeats, Pepper just sat slumped forward and did not hear anything apart from the blood rushing in her ears, the purring of the engine, and her and Tony’s heavy panting. She did not want to dwell on the fortunate fact that the front seat passenger airbag had not ejected; it might have had fatal consequences for her unborn. The car's engine then died down, and soon after, Tony’s hand was on her shoulder.

“Pep? Pep! You okay?”

She opened her eyes and almost panicked for a second, before she realized her sunglasses made everything darker than usual. His fingers clenched around the fabric of her blazer, almost frantic, as he started to lightly shake her.

“Honey, please talk to me!”

Pepper reached up and pulled her shades off. Post-adrenaline jitters caused her hands to tremble, as her eyes searched for his. Tony had also gotten rid of his glasses, and the aftermath of the shock was visibly etched on his face.

“I’m… I’m okay I guess.”

Her voice was weak and she palmed her forehead as she leaned back. Her other hand fumbled for her belly, and she started to rub soothing circles over her blouse. When he wanted to place his hand over hers, Pepper flinched and all but slapped him off. “No! Don't touch me - don't touch me right now! Give me a little space!”

Tony let go of her, unbuckled, and got out of his seat. They had come to a standstill at an emergency rest-stop, and the cars on the highway continued to thunder past them, undeterred. He walked around the Audi to check for any damage to the bodywork and tires, before he braced himself on the passenger door, hung his head low, and blew out his cheeks.

“God, I’m sorry.”

His wife had placed her head against the headrest and took some deep breaths. Her eyes were closed and both of her hands around her abdomen. She did not acknowledge him, and Tony straightened up, rolled his stiff neck against the post-trauma stress, and ran his hands through his hair. On shaky legs he walked over to the guardrail and looked down at the vastness of the dark blue ocean.

Pepper did not make an attempt to follow him, and Tony kicked the sand around his feet, until his new Martin Margiela high-top sneakers were almost completely covered in dust. Then he looked back over to the Audi; over to the long, skidded rubber marks on asphalt and sand, and closed his eyes for a moment.

Too close. Far too close.

The Californian heat was building up, and the billionaire felt sweat pooling under his suit. Tightening his fist, he swung around and marched back to his car once he felt like he had re-established enough control over his body and soul to drive on. When Pepper heard his footsteps, she opened her eyes. Tony opened her door and crouched down in front of her.

Loose petals from the remains of the bouquet swirled up and pooled down at his feet.

“You okay?”  
A tear ran down her cheek to drop on her belly, and Tony felt rotten.  
“I just want to go home.”

He averted his gaze, rose, and got back in the driver's seat.  
“Of course.”  
As soon as Tony had ignited the Audi, thunder rolled over the mountains in the distance.

 


	17. Chapter 17

Malibu, 26th  June 2014

  
“Jarvis?“  
“Yes, Sir?"  
"Any ideas on how to make Pepper love me again?”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand, Sir. Mrs Stark shares a very deep, emotional bond with…”  
Tony rubbed the back of his hand over his forehead, sighed and circled his R8 again.  
"I was just kidding, J. I wanna do something for her, to make her feel special and such.”

After their dangerous near miss on the highway two days ago, the atmosphere between them still bordered on glacial. Ever since then, the inventor had revamped the standard anti-skid breaking system of the Audi with his very own, improved technology. It was his way of showing how much he cared, and that he knew his actions had been a near unforgivable mistake.

However, Tony also knew fixing things between him and his wife would take more than just mere mechanics. “Well, in that case, Mrs Stark is quite fond of art for instance, especially when it comes to modernist painters like Joan Miró and Salvador Dali. She also likes Japanese culture, the food and the general…” It was then that Tony interrupted his AI.  
  
“I don’t need a résumé of my wife, Jarvis, I _know_ all these things, okay?”  
“Do you, Sir? Which opera by Verdi is Mrs Stark’s favorite?”  
“That... famous one.”  
  
“Well, Sir…”  
Tony huffed out loud and made a dismissive gesture.  
“Oh, just cut it out, will ya?”

He grabbed the StarkPad again to check current readouts from the tachograph of his sports car. After a moment, Tony then looked back up again, a thoughtful expression on his face. He closed the current program and drummed his fingers on the tablet.

“But that’s actually not a bad idea.”  
“What is, Sir?”  
“A night out at the opera. Jarvis, see if you can find something to Pepper’s liking.”

“There seem to be only random plays around Los Angeles these days.”  
Tony harrumphed.  
“Doesn’t have to be L.A. Try New York. Or hey, what about London? That'd be fancy.”

The AI did as it was told. After a few minutes, Jarvis presented Tony with an overview on several opera performances in several locations. The billionaire browsed through the list on his pad. It did not take long for him to make up his mind. “That one. Hah, and see? _Verdi_. Jackpot.” His thumb tapped on the screen. Jarvis enlarged the website’s picture for him.  
  
"Shall I inquire about two tickets for tomorrow at 7:30PM then, Sir?”  
Tony smirked; it was an indefinable smirk.  
“Go ahead and book 'em.”

***  
  
With a blissful sigh, Pepper slid down into the large bathtub and let the warm water engulf her body.  
  
All day long she had been looking forward to soaking it up after work, and when it was 8PM, time was finally on her side. The room smelled of lavender, and she inhaled long and deep. Lights were dimmed, and very quiet background music reached her ears. The water was warm and soothing, and Pepper sunk in deeper until all of her, belly included, was covered.

When her thoughts began to come and go, she reminisced about the past two days. Tony had gotten them home looking like a picture of misery after his reckless stunt on the highway, and she had given him the cold shoulder treatment ever since. She knew he was devastated; knew he was tinkering with his car in order to literally fix things, but Pepper could not help but to be disappointed in him and his temper.

A knock on the door cut through her fleeting thoughts. She craned her neck.  
“Yes?”  
The familiar dark-haired head poked around the corner, almost sheepish.

"Hey… you’re taking a bath, hm? Good, good. I.. uh, can I just…?” Tony cocked his head and gave her an eager look. In the soft illumination of the vast bathroom, his face seemed younger than Pepper lately remembered it to be. "Come on in but close the door.” He scurried to do as he was told, and moved over to the gallery where the bathtub was embedded.

She noticed how hard he tried not to try and catch a glimpse of her breasts under the water, and the corners of her mouth twitched. “You're staring, Tony.” Her voice was tender and he cleared his throat. Then he sat down on the rim next to her. “Yeah. Guilty, your honor.” Despite his quip, he seemed tense. His index finger dipped into the water near her arm. 

“When has _your_ last shower been?”  
Tony's dark eyes flew upwards from a spot on her neck. He gave a casual shrug.  
“If it ain't smellin', I ain't tellin'.”

With a raised eyebrow, Pepper scooted higher and sat up. His eyes followed her motions as she clasped a hand around the enamel rim where her wedding band clinked against the material. She gave some very audible sniffs into his direction. “That's what _you_ think.” Her eyes indicated to the spot across from her. Tony hesitated, unsure of her implication.  
  
“Well Mister Stark, what are you waiting for?”

The self-assured smirk was back on his face as he rose and, with a swift, smooth motion, pulled the shirt over his head to drop it next to the tub on the tiled floor. Under the watchful eyes of his wife, Tony was quick to share the rest of his clothes in the same manner until he stood before her, bare and vulnerable, and awaited her final permission.

Pepper pulled her legs closer to her body, about to give him more space in the large tub. He surprised her by getting in behind her, and slipping each of his legs around her body. They adjusted positions, until Tony was able to immerse himself from head to toe once, before he leaned back and waited until his wife did the same against his chest.

For a few moments, neither of them said a word and Pepper felt relaxed enough to close her eyes.

Tony's wiry forearms circled hers with caution, and she felt him press a tentative and wet kiss to the nape of her neck under the bun of hair. Her eyes blinked open again and regarded their joined hands upon the rim. With care, she began to trace a line from his wrist to his thumb. It caused Tony's fingers to twitch ever so slightly, and he gave a little hum.

“Let's go somewhere tomorrow evening. Just you and me.”  
His deep voice rumbled against her back as he in turn began to stroke her fingers.  
“Tomorrow's Thursday. And weekly performance review meeting with Marketing at 5:30PM.”

Unbeknownst to her, Tony smirked into the dim light.  
“Not anymore. Told Dwight to call it off for this week. And Sarah'll get over it.”  
The water sloshed as Pepper swung around to look at him, incredulous.

“You did _what?_ But... why? God help you, Tony, if this is another of your...”  
Even though he lost contact with her hands, Tony made use of the situation to cup her cheek.  
He ran a thumb over her lips to silence her and smiled.

“Only because La Traviata is waiting for you. Tomorrow at 7:30PM. In New York.”  
Nothing came over Pepper's lips for a long moment.  
Tony gently urged her to lean back underwater, against his chest. Too baffled to protest, she relented.  
  
“The Met is showing Verdi just tomorrow night. So we'll leave here around 2PM, have dinner somewhere beforehand, and watch these Italians go through the trials and tribulations of their love life. Seriously, I've heard that's some pretty heavy stuff.” Thoughtful, Pepper tipped one of her big toes out of the water and traced a speck of bathing salt on the water surface.

His arms wormed around her again, that time looping underneath her arms to rest upon her growing belly. She inhaled. “C'mon, Pep, please - I just wanna see you smile again. I hate the way you're looking all strict at me these days...” His fingers clinched around her for a brief second. “... but I hate the way you're _not_ looking at me even more.”

Tony's voice was hushed, but fervent. Pepper felt him go slack behind her as his arms dipped back into the water. With regards to her bump, she turned sideways and found him staring at the high ceiling of the bathroom with his head tilted back. “You're willing to suffer through two hours of opera with me?” Wary, he lifted it to be able to look at her.  
  
“Two hours and a half - at minimum. And that's a yes.”

She reached up with to run a hand all the way from his neck down to his ARC. Even in warm water, the glass surface of the reactor remained cool to the touch. Tony swallowed. Her eyes lingered within his for a moment. “You know it'll be our very first opera visit together.” Pepper allowed a small smile to play on her lips. He mimicked it, new-found hope flickering in his eyes.

“Yeah. I'll have Jarvis update me on all necessary details for the proper intellectual blah blah.”

Tony wiped a hand over his damp face and watched his wife reach out for a bottle of shampoo. Pepper detached herself and allowed him to dip his head underwater once again. With blinking eyes, he reappeared and let her soap his hair. “Please don't, for your own sake. The first opera visit should be nothing but impartial.” Underneath a foaming mop of hair, he squinted with a smirk.

“Kay, I'll go for shock effect then. But only cause it's your favorite opera.” More than pleasant surprise flittered over her face, and Tony inwardly thanked his AI for that certain bit of information after all. His thoughts strayed afar, however, when Pepper began to apply shower gel to the rest of his body.

 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics taken from Giuseppe Verdi's opera 'La Traviata' (Italian: [la traviˈaːta], The Fallen Woman)

New York, 27th  June 2013  
  
 _  
'One day you passed before me, happy and light as air, and ever since that day, even without knowing it, I loved you - with that love which is the very breath of the universe itself - mysterious and noble, both cross and ecstasy of the heart.'_

Amused, the billionaire shoved the chewing gum into the left pouch of his cheek, slid deeper into his seat and was about to prop up his feet on the velveteen balustrade. A stern glance from his wife combined with a slight shake of her head made him stop. Tony had fought hard not to laugh out loud at the pompous, over-dramatic performances from the very first act.

So far, he had kept any improper comments or witty jokes to himself, hard as that seemed to be. He had focused on Pepper instead; watched her watching the opera with a mesmerized twinkle in her eye, and enjoyed her enjoyment. At some point, she made a move to take his hand and interrupted his silent observations. Pepper leaned over towards him ever so slightly.

“If you won't give it a chance, you'll miss out on something good.”

Tony sniffed once and cleared his throat. No further words were spoken as the red-haired woman sat upright again and continued to follow the events on stage. Her husband cocked his head as applause flooded the hall soon after, and squinted down to where the next scenery displayed a salon with bustling activity. For a while, Tony busied himself reading subtitles.

“I thought they were dating? What's she doin with that other guy now?”  
His voice was as hushed as perplexed. Pepper just smiled benignly.  
“That's why I told you to pay attention.”

_'Come, come, whatever's happened shall be veiled by the past; what's been has been, think only of what's to be.'_

From that moment on, it was Pepper who stole some furtive glances at the man by her side, high up on the balcony section of the Metropolitan Opera House. An intense frown had settled between the brows of Tony Stark, who meanwhile had his chin propped up on one fist and seemed deeply engrossed in the scenery down below on the stage.

_'Ah, yes - what have I done? I am horrified. Maddening jealousy, disillusioned love torture my heart - I have lost my reason. She can never forgive me now, I tried to flee from her - I couldn't! I came here, spurred on by anger! Now that I have vented my fury, I am sick with remorse - oh, wretched man!'_

They watched the rest of the second act in joint concentration. When it was time for the second intermission, they split up for the respective restrooms, and Tony awaited his wife with a glass of water outside the foyer. He himself nipped on a bourbon from the Revlon Bar and leaned back against the railing, elbows up. 

“What does this remind you of?”  
Pepper put her clutch aside and pointed at his glass with a smirk.  
“That _I'd_ better be driving tonight?”

Tony pulled a face laced with good-natured sarcasm.  
“ _So not_. No, I'm talking bout this play here.”  
He took another sip. When he lowered his glass, the corner of his mouth twitched.

“Why's this opera your favorite? Just curious.”  
With a curl of the lip, Pepper reached for her own beverage. Her heart thumped.  
“I don't know, it's one of Verdi's best works, right up there with Aida and Don Carlos. Maybe I just love drama.”

His laughter was high and clear. Tony moved nearer and put his empty glass aside.  
“Didn't peg you as the soap opera type, really. Maybe it's a good thing we're here tonight.”  
The stroke of a gong indicated the end of the intermission, and Pepper took Tony's arm in a tight hold.

“Most definitely.”

During the final act, Pepper felt a certain kind of indisposition and tried hard not to squirm on her chair. The air felt too stifling all of a sudden, and her back started to hurt. She slid into a more comfortable position and put her hands upon her belly.

 _'What is there to forgive? The guilty one is me; but it was love alone which made me so.'_  
  
Then she felt it. Towards the third and final act of La Traviata, in the dimmed hall of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Pepper felt her baby's very first movement. She held her breath until the feeling of nervous twitching stopped, and looked at her husband. Tony had not noticed and sat, one leg crossed over the other, following the impending death of the leading lady with eager eyes.

***

When the performance was over, and the thunderous applause from the spectators had died down, Tony stayed close to Pepper's side. His warm fingers caressed her bare shoulders underneath her little black dress, as he guided her down the Met's large, marble stairways. A single photographer was roaming the foyer for something interesting. Once he saw them, he decided to take his chance.

“Mister Stark, Mrs Stark. Did you like the opera? May I take a picture? Just one.”  
Pepper, her black clutch and black wrap in her left hand, gave a quiet, disdained noise.   
Tony, however, was all smiles as he haltered their stride, put an arm around his wife and took on a tall stance.

“Yeah, sure.”  
He glimpsed at the woman next to him and smirked.  
“Shoot.”

Seconds before the shutter release clicked, Pepper felt Tony's large hand square across her belly, preventing her to cover her bump behind her accessories. The young photographer lowered the camera and inspected his shot. “Great! Thank you so much. Have a nice evening here in New York.” He grabbed his backpack and moved on through the crowds.

The couple then hurried to catch a cab outside and head back for Stark Tower. They had decided to stay the night in New York, rather then trying to get some sleep aboard the Stark Jet and its small cabins. Soon, Pepper left their bathroom and crawled up to Tony within their bed. He was quick to put his Stark phone aside and turned onto his side to face her.

She dimmed the lights and snuggled up to where he spooned behind her. Tony's breath was warm on her neck as he reached over to place an arm across her belly. “Better than marketing meeting today?” Pepper had to chuckle and interlinked her fingers with his. “Much better. But we shouldn't make a habit out of it.” He gave a gentle snort and flexed around her bump. 

“Why not? It's our company.”  
His pout was interrupted by a small yawn.  
“Precisely, my love. Our company, our responsibilities.”

In that moment, a little flutter underneath their hands erupted. Tony raised his head.  
“Hey. Did _you_ do that just now?”  
Mesmerized, Pepper held his hand tight as he was about to sit up.

“Shh, wait.”  
  
They lay and waited for another movement of the womb, but none came. After a few minutes, Pepper turned on her back and strained to look at her husband in the dark. “It happened for the first time earlier this evening.” Tony propped himself up on one elbow and reached over with his free hand to feel for more commotion. When none came, he gave a disappointed grunt.

“What a tease.”  
Pepper felt for his cheek and cupped it.  
“Teach them young.”

His lips were on hers right after that and she felt him shift closer to her.  
“Let's see what I can do.”  
Under his gentle touches and sultry voice, Pepper heard herself sigh with bliss.

“Certain things won't be possible at the moment; anatomy-wise...”  
Tony remained busy kissing his way downwards and just mumbled into her skin.  
“I'll think of something.”

 


	19. Chapter 19

Caracas, July 2013

  
It had seemed a good idea at some point, Tony morbidly thought.  
  
Well, maybe not a good idea in itself, but a good way of him and Pepper to get out of each others hair for a while. The two of them had been fighting over his renewed knack for all-nighters for the past month. Tony referred to his excursions as 'business appointments in a casual environment'. Pepper refrerred to them as excuses to go out for drinks each weekend.  
  
  
_“At least make sure you're not around here when you're wasted. One destroyed mansion on your birthday was enough.”_  
_He toasted her with the crystal tumbler of scotch in his hand. His other hand was inside an iron gauntlet._  
_“Whoa, patronizing much there, sweetums?”_  
  
_She narrowed her eyes at his audacious smirk._  
_“If the shoe fits.”_  
_The grin vanished from his face as he turned around and rummaged through one of his many toolboxes._  
  
_“At least you'd have a reason to redecorate your future nursery.”_  
_Pepper slammed the doors of his workshop as she left._  
_Tony gulped the rest of his drink, hurled the glass up, and fired a repulsor shot at it until a rain of shards splayed out on the floor._

  
Still, being caught up solo in a fight against gun runners in Venezuela while suffering from a night out drinking had been his most foolish action. After getting Intel from Jarvis about smuggled Stark Industries’ armory, Tony had taken to dispose of the situation by himself. He suited up on little sleep, angered at his wife, and about to vent his pent-up frustration in Latin America.

Soon enough, he had to realize the situation was more hazardous than he thought, and his opponents heavier armed than estimated. Tony had taken Mark XLVII along, which, while revolutionary and advanced, lacked the heavy plating of Rescue, or the suborbital speed of Godkiller. And Tony's woozy, inebriated mind made proper mental interaction with his suit most difficult.

As he battled his way through the poor neighborhoods that covered the hills around Caracas, Tony soon found himself bathed in sweat, nauseous, and unable to counter the at least fifty guerrilla fighters and warlords. At some point, they managed to strike him down with the help of several anti-aircraft missiles strewn all over the place.

Though his armor remained intact, he found himself down on the ground, vastly outnumbered. It was then that Tony led a heated debate with his AI behind the HUD. “No! Neither Avengers, nor S.H.I.E.L.D. They can come in and clean up after I’m done!”

“Sir, both your state of health and the outcome of this mission do not seem prosperous at the moment. A medivac will be necessary if you don’t take defensive measures soon.” Tony squeezed his eyes shut as another shell exploded directly next to his left earpiece. “Call Rhodey.” The connection loaded for six seconds before the hushed voice of his longtime friend floated through his helmet.

“Tony, what’s up?”  
Iron Man flipped back up on his feet and powered up his jet pack boots.  
“How'd you feel bout a trip to Venezuela?”

“Like hel… –  what are you talking about?”  
Tony blocked a couple of machine gun volleys with his forearm and fired off a missile.  
“C’mon, just like old times. Don’t leave me hangin.”

On the other end, James Rhodes shuffled for a moment before he was back.  
“I’m in DC, Tony. I can’t just hop out of the window and leave.”  
The billionaire gave a grim smirk behind his faceplate.

“The Pres still on your butt about that whole Iron Patriot thing, huh? Here’s my advise: Don’t do it. Ah, shucks, never mind. Talk to ya later, platypus, kay? Gotta go. Bye.” He heard the Lieutenant-Colonel call out his name one more time, before Tony cut the connection and clenched his teeth against the pounding headache behind his left temple.

“Sir…”  
“Shut ya trap, J, I got this.”

***

Washington DC

2.000 miles further north, James Rhodes stared at his mobile phone with a thoughtful look before he pocketed it again.

“Something wrong, Colonel?”  
He raised his head and shook it at the same time.  
“No, Sir. If you just excuse me for a second though?”

The twelve attending members of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency looked at him in irritation, but Major Carter nodded his assent. James was quick to leave the conference room, and headed out of the building before he made another phone call.

“Hello?”  
“Pepper? Hi, it’s me.”  
“Jim, hi! What’s going on?”

Rhodes squinted across the sunny parking lot and buttoned up the jacket of his uniform.  
“That’s what I wanted to know. Is Tony there?”  
A pause.

“No, he... he left here about four hours ago.”  
An agitated tone crept into her voice.  
“Jim, what’s wrong?”

He glanced back to the Pentagon, but started to move towards the opposite direction of his car at the same time. “That’s what I wanted to know from you. He just called me out of the blue and babbled something about… Venezuela?”

Pepper sighed in his ear.  
  
“Then you know more than me. I couldn’t get a hold of him after he left, he was…” She exhaled. “Jim, he was high as a kite when I last spoke to him. I never thought he would get in the suit like that, and I don’t know what…” James Rhodes did not waste any more time. He got in behind the wheel and buckled up. “Okay Pep, don’t worry. I’ll check up on him and get back to you as soon as possible.”  
  
“Thank you.”

As soon as the connection got cut, Rhodes headed straight for his housing at Bolling Air Force Base. It took him no more than fifteen minutes to have War Machine airborne, as he headed out towards the last signal he had received from his friend.

After the Stark Expo disaster, Tony had made a point in stripping the armor off everything Justin Hammer had added to the suit. War Machine 2.0 had been Tony's official gift to James Rhodes, and the genius inventor had reacted very sullen upon hearing about the planned re-branding and the 'Iron Patriot project'. 

Rhodes touched down in Caracas forty minutes after he had received Tony's call, and found him still heavily engaged in what looked like a losing battle. War Machine came in on the scene, guns ablaze, and first of all blasted away a sniper hideout high up in the mountains which had various artillery targeted on Iron Man.

“Tony? Do you copy?”

Rhodey fastened the HUD on his friend who crouched down on the soil, face down. Stark’s armor gave a few ill-sounding whirrs as he pushed himself up onto one knee, and fastened illuminated eye slits on his surprise backup. In two seconds, they had visual.

“Change of heart there, eh?”  
Tony’s disheveled countenance greeted him after some static, and Rhodes frowned.  
“You can bet your butt I’ll demand an explanation from you later on, man. How bad?”

Iron Man straightened up to his full height of 6’6’’ and steadied himself. His ARC gave a little flicker, to which Tony slammed a gloved fist onto it a couple of times. Before his friend was about to voice his concerns, Tony spoke. “Too many of them, spread too far apart to do a sweeping blow. SI arsenal, though of the older kind.” He gulped down and averted Rhodey’s eyes. “And admittedly, not one of my most stellar days.”

War Machine surveyed the hillside area around them. “So I’ve heard. You alright?” Jarvis interrupted them with a blinking ‘Incoming’ message inside their HUDs. The two men in their armors scattered away when a grenade got launched into their direction. The fight then took on a more balanced note, and Rhodes would have lied if he told himself he did not enjoy the action after a long period of in-activeness.

However, when Rhodey spotted his best friend getting shot out of the sky, and taking a hard nose dive from three hundred feet to crash prone onto the ground, his enthusiasm got curbed. It vanished when Stark did not respond to his calls. “Jarvis, give me a status!” “The RT in Mister Stark’s chest has taken a direct, frontal hit, Colonel. It caused an indention to the chest holder, which has led to a shortage of oxygen supply.”

With a curse on his lips, Rhodey landed next to the motionless humanoid and turned him on his back. The reactor in his chest seemed off, even though it still glowed bright blue. “Tony – can you hear me?” A groan from behind the faceplate reached his ears. The billionaire groped upwards with an unsteady hand and slammed it down on his chest plate.

His friend switched back to HUD visual. Tony’s face was strained, and his eyes were closed. “Fuck… hurts… somethin’s wedged…” War Machine scanned their surroundings. For the moment there was no open fire, but they were positioned like sitting ducks. He wanted to get out as soon as possible. A wheezing sound made him focus back on his friend.

Stark flipped his faceplate up and gasped for air. He opened his eyes and tried to focus on Rhodes.  
“Take ‘t off. R-dey. Take’toff. Can’t…breathe.”  
War Machine’s faceplate also came up.  
  
“Take what off, Tones?”  
A weak, strangled cough followed before Tony gestured to his chest.  
“You want me to take off the armor?”  
  
The inventor's breaths came in short gasps as he clasped Rhodey’s wrist.  
“No... jus'… th' plate...”  
Not hesitating any further, the Lieutenant-Colonel reached for the small hollow around the RT and tore at the metal.

The armor responded with a sickening, grating sound as it eventually caved in to the immense pressure he applied. Like a sardine can, Rhodey peeled off the chest plate, until the ARC was freed from its confines. Iron Man's power supply went down and Tony got stuck inside the 215 pounds deadweight, non-functioning suit, unable to move either head or limbs.

Acting out on instinct, James removed one of his own gauntlets and zipped down Tony's undersuit, until he was able to get a look at his chest. Around the ARC, the skin was seeping with blood, from where the sharp edges of the casing had dissected it. There seemed to be at least two broken ribs; the main reason why the reactor case sat in an imbalance and pressed down deep onto Stark's lungs.

Tony made a few attempts to wheeze at him, until Rhodey understood he wanted him to pull at the RT. Sweat dripped from the Colonel's forehead onto Tony's undersuit as he carefully managed to take out the ARC without cutting off the wires. Brown eyes lingered on brown, full of horrified realization.

„Shit, Tones, there's no way I can set it straight without breaking some more ribs!“  
Dazed and with a slight bluish tinge on his lips, Tony attempted to grin and mouth at him.  
„... s'okay... do it.“

 


	20. Chapter 20

When Pepper got the fateful call, she almost dropped her StarkPad on the floor.

Conversation with Rhodey was short and clipped, and before she knew it, she sat in her Jaguar and sped along the PCH towards the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The drive took forty-five minutes and she got there just in time to see War Machine touch down with the lifeless body of her husband in his arms.

Tony still wore his suit, but something had torn a huge, gaping hole into his chest plate, and Pepper's heart all but stopped beating.

She stumbled after them into the hospital and yelled out Rhodes' name. War Machine just barked out orders at the doctors who hovered around the two humanoids, until someone produced a gurney big and strong enough to carry the weight of Iron Man. Rhodes swung around and saw her running towards them, eyes wide.

He opened his faceplate and held up a hand in a soothing gesture. “Pepper, calm down.” Frantic she reached the gurney and stared down at her unconscious husband. “Tony... Tony, oh god!” Tears started to threaten her as the doctors wheeled him away towards the x-ray unit. With care, James Rhodes put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
“He's going to be okay, Pepper, don't worry. Just wait a sec.”

The Lieutenant-Colonel then hurried after his friend to help in dismantling the armor off him. Before Tony had lost consciousness, he had told him where to find the manual emergency hatches of Mark XLVII which worked even without power supply. Pepper was beside herself with fear and worry as he rejoined her fifteen minutes later.

"Jim, what happened? Who did this to him?”  
Rhodes exhaled.  
“I did.”  
  
For a moment, shock mirrored on Pepper's face.  
“But... why would you...?”  
James moved a heavy armored hand with audible whirring.

“He told me to. Tony's taken a hit which displaced the casing of his reactor. He... would've suffocated otherwise.” The air force Colonel forced himself to continue, even as Pepper slung a hand in front of her eyes. “Broke a couple of his ribs, too, but anything's better than having his lungs crushed.” Wordless, she reached out to steady herself on War Machine's suit.  
  
“I think I'd better sit down now.”  
  
Her longtime friend led her over to a secluded waiting area with plastic chairs in a row. He towered high over the devastated woman and looked down at her in concern. Pepper was pale and breathing deep. Something about the way she cupped her midriff caught his attention, and he hunkered down awkwardly with a lot of noise.

“Are you okay? Do you feel faint? If you need a doctor, I can go get someone.” A shudder ran through her body, but Pepper leaned her head back against the wall and shook it once. “No, maybe just some water.” Ever the gentleman and attentive soldier, James Rhodes straightened back up and clomped off to fulfill her wish.

He felt stupid and watched by people as he fumbled with the water dispenser around the corner. Much to his luck, he stumbled across a nurse who was kind enough to pour a plastic cup for him. When he came around the corner of the waiting area, Rhodey caught the first real glimpse of his best friend's wife and stopped dead in his tracks.

Pepper had shed her coat and now sat with her hands on a distinctive little bump underneath a blue-striped dress. Just then the redhead looked up, saw him stare, and deliberately rested a palm atop of her belly. She threw him a timid smile to hide the fact tears had pooled in her eyes. Rhodes hastened to hand her the cup.

“Thank you.”  
He just nodded, still baffled.  
“How, erm, come I didn't get in on the big news so far?”

Her sad blue eyes rested upon him. “Lots of things don’t go according to plan when it comes to this one right here.” She gave a gentle rub over her dress and sighed. “Lately I feel like all we do is fight – and now he even goes and takes the fight out into the world.” Rhodes wished he was able to get rid of his suit to move around more freely.

He calculated the distance towards his apartment and back and came to a conclusion. “I’m sure it’ll be nothing serious, Pepper. He’ll be annoying the heck out of us in less than a few hours.” A meek smile was his answer. “Listen, are you okay with me getting rid of the metal first? I’ll take his suit with me and be back in less than an hour.”

Pepper nodded and ran a hand through her hair. “Don't stress, I’ll be here waiting.” War Machine hurried off to grab the mangled remains of the Iron Man suit. He returned to the scene no forty minutes later, by car and dressed in casual clothes. Rhodes then met up with Pepper in another in-patient department, where she sat and thumped through a worn issue of House & Garden.

When she spotted him, she threw the magazine aside and stood up. Without hesitation James stepped up to her and took her in his arms to make up for earlier on; mindful of the small bump against him. “How is he?” She released him and pointed her chin down the aisle. “Out of x-ray. The doctor said three fractured ribs, six weeks of healing time and lots of painkillers.”

James blew out a sigh of relief. “He’s apparently awake and in a terribly foul mood. They told me I could see him after the final check up from the physician.” They both allowed a brief smile on their faces. Tony and hospitals never mixed too well, but especially since his return from Afghanistan, he was all the more wary of letting strangers near his chest.

Rhodes motioned for Pepper to have a seat again. As he sat down next to her, his eyes set automatically on her stomach. She sensed his stare and cleared her throat, to which he averted his eyes. “Sorry, it’s just – this came out of nowhere for me today.” She exhaled soundlessly. “Don’t be, I’ve felt bad about not telling you ever since his birthday.”  
  
Immediately, Rhodey’s eyebrows knitted together.“ _That’s_ when you guys knew it?” Pepper put her elbow on the armrest and palmed her forehead. “That’s when I told him. Talk about birthday surprises. At least now you know why he’s taken the celebratory drink a bit too… serious.” James rubbed his palms up and down his jeans-clad thighs.

“Guy owes me a lot of explanations. Lately I feel completely out of the loop with the two of you.” Pepper lightly patted his leg. “… three of us, you mean.” A different voice from down the corridor interrupted them. “Mrs Stark?” The nurse beckoned her over, and Rhodey followed along. He squeezed Pepper’s shoulder before she slipped into the private hospital room.

Tony lay on his side, dressed in a standard green hospital gown, and scowled into the silence. An IV-bag was strapped to his left arm, and the beeping of an ECG machine reached her ears. When the door clicked shut, he looked at her, and his face switched from glum to embarrassed to joyous in less than a second.

“Hiiii.”  
  
His voice held an uncharacteristic drawl. Painkillers aplenty, Pepper mused dryly, as she took the chair next to his bed. She put her handbag onto the small nightstand and brushed some of his sweated bangs aside with a tender stroke to his forehead. All of her previous anger had long since evaporated and gotten replaced by worry and love.

“Oh Tony, what have you done now, hm?”  
He gave a doped up, adorable simper and attempted to shrug.  
“Ow. Dunno, effed up? But you shouldsee th'other guy. Mmhmm.”

She stopped scanning his body for any bandages under the gown and curled her upper lip. “If by other guy you mean your suit, then yes, it's a total loss. Rhodey’s taken the remnants home with him.” Tony pouted and shifted a little. Pepper stroked his cheek. “Are you in pain?”

“Nah. Can’t feel a thing anywhere. But don’ ask me bout my pride, and what this silly li’l gown is doin’ to it. Everyone’s been starin' at my ass.” His wife pursed her lips. “Why, but you do have such a nice behind, Mister Stark - and you’ve never been shy to show it off either.” They grinned at each other, glad for some comical relief.

Tony then looked as if he pondered her words. “’M not unproud of my buttocks indeed.” A knock on the door interrupted them. James Rhodes poked his head in. “Sorry, I don’t want to disturb you guys, but I need to get going soon.” Pepper nodded and stood up to pour Tony a glass of water from a nearby cart. Rhodey came to stand in front of the bed and regarded his battered friend.

“Hey there, man. You look like you should take it easy for a while.” Stark attempted a casual gesture, but winced at the IV in his vein. “Ah, you know me. No rest for the wicked, or what wassit...” He craned his neck to look back over to where Pepper just put a straw in his glass of water and grinned. “…tho wicked’s always been my thang, right, baby?”

Rhodey crossed his arms before his chest and palmed his chin. He shared a thoughtful look with the redhead who mouthed the word ‘morphine’ behind Tony's back. The Lieutenant-Colonel then watched her taking the chair again and helped Tony to grasp the straw in between his lips. “Anyway Tones, I got your suit at my place. Come and pick it up whenever you’re ready.”

The billionaire held up a thumb as he was busy drinking. He gave a little wave when his friend decided to take his leave with a pat to Tony’s calf underneath the blanket, and a tender squeeze to Pepper’s shoulder. Looking back, Rhodes saw her caressing Tony’s forehead with one hand while her other hand rested on her belly.

The doctors had wanted to keep him there until late evening. It gave Pepper the chance to go back to the mansion, bring along some spare clothes to travel back home in, and prepare couch and bed for her stubborn patient. She settled the grocery shopping list with Jarvis and ordered enough comfort food to keep Tony happy for the upcoming days.

Pepper had also been told how lucky her husband had in fact been. His lungs could have been punctuated from the sharp reactor casing; a scenario which would continue to haunt her subconscious mind for weeks to come. The fact that Tony's recovery under the given circumstances should not take more than a few weeks gave her hope.

She took him home in her Jaguar convertible before his medication wore off completely, and sitting upright would become too painful. A drowsy Tony allowed her to pamper him for the rest of the evening, before he fell asleep.

 


	21. Chapter 21

Palmdale, July 2013

 

When Tony visited his friend two weeks later to collect the remains of Mark XLVII, he made it a spontaneous visit to Palmdale where James Rhodes had a permanent abode in relative proximity to Edwards Air Force Base. The Lieutenant-Colonel opened the door with a perplex expression which was quick to morph into a mask of reproach.

“You could have called a bit earlier than five minutes ago.”  
  
Tony walked past him with a small black tool box and a fairly un-contrite air surrounding him. James stepped aside and closed the door behind him. The inventor sniffed out loud. “Coulda, yeah, sorry. Smells great by the way – lasagna?” He snatched his amber-tinged shades off with one smooth motion and pocketed them. “Good to see you, buddy. How's things?”

Without waiting for an invitation, Tony strutted forward into the familiar living room, placed the box onto the table, and shoved his hands into his jeans. James Rhodes was quick to follow him. “Kinda busy. How's the ribs?” Stark knew his friend for too long not to notice the difference in the way Rhodes spoke or behaved. It made him feel unwelcome, which was something Tony never bothered with before.

“Swell. So listen, I've brought some tools to carve the big iron turkey and take it home. How bout you givin' me and hand and learn a thing or two in the process? Just so next time I won't be lookin' like a tuna can.” While Tony gave a cackle at his own joke, James narrowed his eyes on him. “There will be no next time, you hear me?” Still cheeky, Tony donned a mock-flabbergasted expression.

“Boy oh boy, what's crawled up your butt and died, eh? Or does me being here bug you?” James ran a palm over his buzz cut and put his arms akimbo. “What you did over there was a careless stunt man, and you don't seem the least bit sorry. That bugs me.“ As Tony's eyebrows shot up, his mouth formed a surprised vowel. “Oh. That what bugs you?”

His longtime friend stared him down with vigor.  
“Yeah, that what bugs me. Amongst other things.”  
With a humorless laugh and a brisk shake of the head, Tony grabbed the box and brushed past him, clear annoyance on his face.

“Know what? Forget it. I don't wanna put up with this right now.”  
In the corridor, one hand already on the door knob, he swung around as Rhodes appeared in the doorway and glared at him.  
“Thought I could count on you at least.”

James pushed himself off the door frame and pointed a finger at his friend. “Yeah, real nice, Tones. Remember who carried your sorry ass out of Venezuela before you start behaving like a dick here, okay?”

“... Jim? Where do you keep the spices? I think the sauce needs a little more...“ A female voice resounded from the kitchen, before a young black woman with short, curly hair appeared in the open living room, holding a gravy spoon. She cast Tony a surprised look and glanced over at Rhodes. “... oh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear someone coming in.”

The Lieutenant-Colonel threw her a lopsided smile and pointed at his friend.  
“Yeah, he does that. Trish, meet Tony Stark. Tony, this is Patricia Huggins. She works for the air force test center at Edwards.”  
With an honest, almost awestruck smile the woman extended her hand.  
  
“Wow, the real Iron Man. Nice to meet you, Mister Stark.”  
In a flash, Tony wore a bright grin and shook her hand.  
“Hi. Call me Tony.”  
  
Before any of them knew what was going on, James turned to her.  
“Spices are in the second closet to the left. Be right back with you.”  
His voice took on an apologetic edge as he threw his friend a pointed look.  
  
Tony clicked his tongue around the gum in his mouth.  
“I'll be gone in a minute, just need to fetch my stuff. Downstairs?”  
He cast Rhodes a questioning glance to which the other man just nodded.

Their brief quarrel still hung in the air, even though the young woman was oblivious to it. She eyed the famous inventor again. “Oh, we've got enough to feed an entire division with spaghetti, if you'd like...?” Regretful Tony scrunched up one side of his face. “Love to, but I really can't stay. Pepper's still on bedside vigil.” Even if she did not understand what he was talking about, Patricia smiled one last time.  
  
“Maybe next time then. Bye, Tony.”  
He graced her with another marvelous smile before the two men walked downstairs in silence. Eventually, Tony caved in.  
“She seems nice. How long's it been goin' with you two?”

The key chain in Rhodey’s hand jingled as he unlocked the basement vault. Since he lived in a multistory building, they passed several hallways towards the private cellar section. “She _is_ nice. We first went out in April, after I got back from Pakistan.” Tony uttered a small whistle and squeezed himself through the half-open door at first. “That long? Wow, platypus, could’ve said something.”

The black man touched a switch, to which a single light bulb above their heads went on and illuminated most of the stacks of boxes and crates. A large heap hidden underneath a tarp lay in the middle of the cellar. The billionaire immediately went forward and started to lift the cover. Rhodes gave an audible snort. “Look who’s talking.”

Tony threw him a brief glance but focused back on unwrapping his possession. The tarp rustled as he threw it aside. “Aw, man.” With disdain he regarded the torn-up chest plate of Mark XLVII and hunkered down next to the lifeless suit. The Lieutenant-Colonel stayed behind and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I get to know Pepper’s pregnant just by chance? That’s fucked up, man, really.”

The billionaire pretended to not have heard as he started to fumble on the inner workings of his armor and refrained from looking at his friend. “Damn, you messed him up good. Remind me to never let you touch my stuff again.” James Rhodes then walked over to where Tony Stark squatted next to his suit and looked down.

“I’m worried about you, Tony.”  
The man in question pursed his lips as his nimble fingers pulled on a torn wire.  
“Is that so?”

The cocky undertone was back, and Rhodes spat out a curt laugh. “It’s one thing if you decide to keep your private life a secret from me all of a sudden, or if _this_ baby here is the only one you're really worried about - but if you ever decide that getting in the suit completely plastered is a good idea, I’m going to give you hell, you got that?”

In a swift motion, Tony rose. He ground his jaw, drew himself up to his full height, and came to stand only two inches in front of his friend.

“Is that a threat?”  
Their eyes warred with each other for a split second. Then James Rhodes raised a brow.  
“That’s a promise.”

After several heartbeats, the Californian billionaire raised his chin. A warped smile appeared on his lips. “Thanks for the hosting. Go get back upstairs, I'll take my stuff and scram. I'm gonna see myself out, kay?” He brushed past his friend to fetch his tool box. When Tony bent down again, he gave a small hiss as the movement strained his bruised ribcage.

James watched him struggle for a moment before he intervened as his friend was about to hoist up the broken torso. “Give me that. I'm not getting an earful from Pepper because of you.” Tony relented far more easy than assumed, and together they managed to stuff the dismantled armor into the trunk and the passenger seat of the R8. With a finalized motion, he snapped the bonnet shut and dusted off his jeans.

Tony then put his shades back on and looked at his silent friend. Neither of them had spoken any further words with each other during the transport. Rhodes attempted to be the yielding voice of reason. “Give Pepper my regards.” With a nod, Tony lowered himself into his sports car with care. “You guys should come round sometime, you and Trish. Have a BBQ or something.”

Rhodes half shrugged, half nodded. Stark ignited the Audi, and the roaring of the engine drowned out any potential farewells. “Hey Tony...” James spoke a trifle louder. “... I'm really happy for you guys, okay?” The look he got in return from behind the sunglasses was a forced one; the smile to accompany it never reaching Tony's eyes.

“Yeah, let's just hope I won't screw that one up like this buddy right here.”

He pointed his chin to the destroyed suit next to him. Before James Rhodes was able to comment, Tony activated the automated gearbox, raised his hand one last time in greeting, and sped off down the street. His friend turned around with a pensive expression and hurried to make his way back up into his apartment.

 


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who might have missed a certain, dark and brooding someone in this as of late - have some Bruce Wayne (or should I say, Quinn Preston?)

Santorini, mid-July 2013  


“Quinnieeee – éla mésa! Éla!”

With two fingers, Bruce pushed the brim of his straw hat a little higher and peeked out from underneath. His eyes came to rest upon the silhouettes of three young Greek women amid the ocean who stood, smiled, and waved at him to join them. He gave a lazy grin and eyed their svelte forms for another, thorough moment before he crossed his arms behind his head.

“Isos argótera.”

He shook his head with an apologetic grin and stretched out on the recliner at the secluded bay near Perivolos beach. After leaving Singapore with its haunting memories behind at the end of February, Bruce traveled around until Greece had drawn him in with its stunning islands and tranquil villages. He rented a luxurious villa for an indefinite amount of time and reveled in beautiful sunsets and a dazzling sea view.

After a couple of weeks, Bruce was sporting a tan almost like the rest of the Greek population. Combined with his bearded appearance many islanders thought of him as non-American, for which he was glad. His profound knowledge of the language did one more thing in keeping up his faux charade for time being.

“Ahhh – fovoúmenos neró, ómorfos?“

The two other girls giggled at her friend's question. When Bruce aka Quinn pushed his hat onto the back of his head and propped himself up on his elbows to give them a mock-stern glare, the cheeky one laughed and made her way back over to him, hips swaying with each step. She was petite with all the right curves in all the right places, stunning long black hair and dark, fiery eyes.

Bruce estimated her and her friends not older then twenty-six at most; carefree, fun to be around, and more than willing to show him a good time. Why was it then that he could not get the picture of a tall, lean, red-haired Pepper with blue eyes out of his mind? Pepper sitting across from him at the dinner table, Pepper laughing at him at the second squash match, Pepper withering underneath him during...

"Kourasménos?"

"Lígo."

He yawned to reinforce his statement and laid back onto the recliner. The girl -Pelagia, he reminded himself- pulled a little sulky face before she patted his arm with an understanding smile. She then slipped onto the edge of the vacant deck chair next to him, and dug for her beach bag. Bruce watched her apply some chap stick and rummage through her clutter, before he turned to grasp his water bottle from under his chair.

Soon, Pelagia threw her huge bag onto the chair and sprang up again.  
“Entáxei. Ta léme!”  
With a quick wave and an air-blown kiss she ran off to join her two friends in the water once more.

Bruce cupped the armrests and threw one last amused glimpse at the mess she had created on her recliner. Amidst all of her girly stuff, he caught sight of a familiar looking gossip magazine from the States, partly visible inside her bag. Uninterested, his gaze wandered back to where the young women frolicked in the blue sea, and debated with himself to join them after all.

His subconscious however made him look at the half-hidden cover again.

Bruce then reached out with one arm and gave the bag a little nudge to which the magazine slipped out onto the chair. The latest US magazine issue; international version. He knew the girls spoke English, albeit a little broken. They were young and naive enough to fall for those trashy mags and envy the glamorous lives of famous Americans. He stared at the crinkled front page with its bright bold, yellow lettering.

**Stark Pregnant! America's hottest Power Couple is expecting their first Iron Baby!**

Above the headline, a picture showed Tony and Pepper out on some event. Tony wore a tuexedo and was holding a hand, fingers splayed wide, across his wife's belly with a proud grin on his face. Bruce stared at the visible bump underneath Pepper's dress for a long time, unblinking. Eventually, he averted his eyes, laid back on his recliner, and looked out onto the ocean.

The seagulls screamed loud above his head as the rays of the sun beat down upon his bare arms. Within split seconds, the magic of the moment was lost to him. They had moved on; had taken the next rightful step in their marriage and would soon be a real family. In a way he was glad for them; for how they managed to avoid each and every pitfall in their way, and still knew where to belong to at the end of the day.

The urge to leave Greece started as a faint tingle in the back of his head, but Bruce decided not to give in to his restless spirit just yet. Even though he needed to move on, it was not something he could do with his suitcases packed and ready. Again he eyed Pelagia from afar, and bit on the inside of his cheek. He was young, wealthy, in the best shape of his life – and free to do as he pleased.

And even if Bruce Wayne did not enjoy the feel of freedom as much as he figured he should, he would make sure Quinn Preston would.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Njah, I don't speek Greek, obviously, or my google translation would be redundant. It's supposed to mean the following: 
> 
> "Éla mésa! Éla!" - "Come on in! Come!"  
> “Isos argótera." - "Maybe later."  
> "Fovoúmenos neró , ómorfos?“ - "Fearing water, handsome?"  
> "Kourasménos?" - "Tired?"  
> "Lígo." - "A little."  
> “Entáxei. Ta léme!” - "Okay. See you!"


	23. Chapter 23

Los Angeles, end of July 2013

  
“Fancy seeing you here – the very Tony Stark. Where's your lovely wife tonight?”

The smarmy, female voice made Tony turn his head around. It belonged to a blonde thirty-something woman with a lot of makeup, a fairly revealing dress, and a bright smile on her red lips. He looked at her for a moment before he turned back and watched the barkeeper carry out his order. With a nod, Tony then accepted the scotch tumbler and took a sip.

The Perch, L.A.'s latest craze when it came to rooftop bars, was packed as usual on a Friday night.  
“At home. Bit tired, you see.”  
The woman leaned next to him against the bar, nodded and broke into a predatory grin.

“Ah yes, she's pregnant, isn't she? Good thing you don't shut yourself in as well - there are just too many boring men around here.”  
Tony was already on his third glass of scotch, which meant he was just a trifle more bold than usual. With a sarcastic smirk he shrugged.  
“Then there's a good chance for you they're still fair game.”

Her expression turned sour. “Why, I was just being nice, no need to get rude. Don't act all monkish just because there's a ring on your finger now. Certainly didn't do before.” Tony's eyes narrowed to slits as he wet his lips. “How bout I make myself a little more clear: Even if I wasn't married, you're not my type, dear; I'm sorry.” He was not sorry at all, and the woman saw and heard it. She sneered back at him.  
  
“Only because I don't have red hair?”  
The billionaire gave a crude laugh and downed the rest of his drink in one gulp.  
“Tell ya what. You might actually _be_ prettier as a redhead. But it still wouldn't get you in my pants, or my bed.”  
  
The woman then cast him a rotten stare and mustered him from top to bottom.  
“And _you_ might actually be devastating if you were five inches taller, you conceited jerk. Good evening.“  
With a swift turn, she snatched her purse and stormed off through the crowd.

Tony had forgotten her as soon as he placed another order for a scotch on the rocks, and got back to where a couple of young engineers from Stark Industries were eagerly waiting and expecting him to party with them.

***

After he had gotten home late that night and slept till mid-morning, Tony went on an idle Saturday afternoon stroll with his wife for coffee. Standing in line at their favorite coffee shop, they both saw the headline flashing at them from the newspaper racks far away. The genius billionaire had made the cover of a famous gossip magazine where he was shown on top of a couch table at the Perch.

Tony's arms were raised in mid-air, tumbler in one hand, while he was in the middle of a dance move. To his feet, a couple of young ladies danced around the table, some of them looking up at him. The headline underneath the picture said in bold, hot pink letters:

**The Scoop on the Stark Pregnancy – He's Out Boozing While She's Snoozing!**

One glance into the tab revealed the author of the lead article as none other than the woman he had rebuffed. Pepper said nothing and wordlessly handed him his venti cup to go. Tony mumbled a foul-mouthed expression as he all but threw the magazine back into the rack before they left the coffee shop. "That's what I get for putting her off. How was I supposed to know she's a gossip hag?“

His wife waited until he took her hand in his. Rumor had it Tony Stark got caught out partying ever so often because he did not know how to handle becoming a father in the foreseeable future. It hurt Pepper even more than the groundless public assertions about his promiscuity, which had died down after the first year of their marriage.

Lately however, with her daily growing bump, Pepper felt insecure and not as desirable as before. As a side effect of her raging hormones, she also did not fare too well with an unknown temper and a case of severe jealousy inside of her. “It doesn't matter. Who cares what they write?” He let go of her hand to slam his sunglasses back upon his nose, angry all of a sudden.

“ _You_ care! I know how you hate the press. I'll have someone from legal look into it. These fuckers are gonna pay.”  
Pepper sipped on her decaf latte and glanced at him.  
“For what, Tony? For stating the truth?”

Flabbergasted, he stopped and stared at her. She also haltered her steps and glimpsed around if people were to notice their little quarrel. “Excuse me? Now it's my fault she couldn't score with me?” Tony shook his head, incredulous, and took a big swig out of his coffee cup. “No matter what I do, it's never good enough. Should've known.”

He mumbled even as he continued to walk on. With one hand underneath her belly and the other around the coffee cup, Pepper followed him. “Tony - wait. Are you even listening to me?” As he turned around, an elder man and his dog had to sidestep him last minute before Tony would stumble over the leash. The billionaire did not notice at all. “Are you even listening to yourself, Pep?”

She glared at the older man who appeared to stand there and watch them argue until he tugged at the leash of his dog and resumed his walk, but not without a final glance back. “As long as you keep fueling speculations and I am morphing into this big wobbling mess, we've got to get used to taking a lot of flack, scorn and derision from the media.”

With a sullen glance into one of the many windows of the shops on Rodeo Drive, Pepper mustered her voluptuous profile and put her shades back on. Tony frowned and came to stand face to face with his wife. His free hand gently pushed her sunglasses back upon her head. Pepper blinked and squinted at him. “You are and will always be the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Pep.” He cupped her cheek and leaned in.

Her husband's kiss tasted of coffee and faint spearmint, and Pepper closed her eyes to block out any of the unpleasant truths, nosy bystanders and possible paparazzi within their sphere for time being.

 


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh..

The next day, Pepper left home early for work. She had an appointment with Doctor Thomas at noon and hoped to get the most of her workload done beforehand. Due to several factors, they had agreed on timing most relevant appointments in a two-week cycle to stay on the safe side. The upcoming screening would give her an update on fundal height and fetal heart tones, as Pepper was already past the twentieth week.

Much to her relief, the Starbucks around the corner did not have the vexatious issue of US Magazine on display, and she left the shop in a good mood. At the office, Pepper savored her caffeine-free latte in-between checking her emails, went through the agendas for her and Tony, and placed a few phone calls with M&A to ensure progress was made on one of Stark Industries' recent, intermediate-term projects.

Around 11:30AM, her husband poked his head around her door and, upon seeing she was alone, slipped in to kiss her good morning. Tony wore an all white outfit, combined with a dark-gray fedora. His shades dangled casually from the breast pocket of his linen jacket. “Wow, hey. Look at you, sharp dressed man. What's the occasion?“ Pepper lifted her chin upwards for him to grace her with a smile and a smooch.  
  
"Hey. Nuthin, I'm always this handsome in case you haven't noticed.”  
He flopped down in one of the two chairs opposite her desk and crossed his ankles.  
"Admittedly though, I wanted to take you for lunch. This Ivory Shore joint sounds good.“  
  
Pepper's nails clicked on the keyboard as she continued to type. “Ivy at the shore. And of course it does, it's a VIP hotspot.“ The disdain in her voice was evident. Tony squinted one eye shut and began to catch at the silver frame in front of him, which was out of his reach. He wiggled around some more until he was able to prod and turn it towards him with two fingers.

“Well yeah, I'm a VIP, and so are you, my love. We'll be in good company.“ With a clanking sound, the frame toppled over. Pepper glared at him and stopped typing. "I'm not keen on gushing over celebrities eating prawns.“ Resolute, she put the frame upright again. “And besides, I have to be in Agoura Hills in an hour.“ Tony stretched out in his seat; sneakers squeaking against the wooden table. "Agoura Hills? What’s there?"  
  
"My OB-GYN, Tony. Ever since I can remember."  
He gave a short non-committal grunt.  
“Huh. So no lunch then.”  
  
Pepper sighed for him to hear her underlying annoyance.  “Lunch is fine, but after my appointment. You’re very much invited, by the way.” It had been weeks since Tony’s overenthusiastic plans of building their own sonographic unit. While Pepper was glad he had abandoned the idea fairly quick, it also showed a distinct indifference towards the whole issue at hand.  
  
"Uh, I’d rather not, to be honest.” He hopped out of the chair in a quick motion and came to stand behind her leather chair. “But I could be your chauffeur there and back… your sexy chauffeur.” His purred comment was followed by his hands as they began to massage her terse shoulders. Pepper closed her eyes for a second. "How about you being by sexy chauffeur _and_ my sexy companion? Doc Thomas still thinks you're a myth."

Tony snorted and the massaging movements stopped. "Can you blame a guy? All this medical female talk is not on top of my daily must-have lists." She reopened her eyes and glanced at the picture frame. It was from mid-2012 and showed the two of them in close-up, her head on his shoulder. "If you don't want to come along, driving me over isn't necessary. I already spoke with Happy and he was willing to accompany me."

The way she said it made him let go of her. Tony slipped a hip on her desk and dangled his leg.  
"See? You don't even need me then. Hapster's gonna handle this, and we can meet up for lunch at..."  
  
"Happy is _not_ my husband, Tony, last time I checked at least. Why can't you just..." Pepper ran a hand through her hair and simultaneously brushed it behind her ear. "... you're making this so difficult sometimes." Resignation took over resentment, and when he attempted to lean forward and stroke her cheek, she drew away. She straightened her back, ended the mail program with deft clicks, and shut the laptop down.

After he had drummed with his fingers on his thighs for the longest time, Tony glanced out of the huge window behind her and audibly blew out his cheeks. "Okay, fine - if you want me to come along, I'll come along. When do we leave? But I hope it doesn't take longer than half an hour, I'm really hungry." Careful not to bump against the edge of the desk, Pepper rose and shoved the slim notebook into its leather case.

"Don't bother, okay? Go and have lunch. Last thing I need is a nuisance by my side. I'll see you at home later on.”  
Tony watched her collect her belongings and slip into her coat before he was able to help.  
He spread his arms open wide, frustration obvious as well, and stood up.

"Damned if I do, damned if I don't, eh? That's not fair now, Pep, c'mon."  
Pepper swung around.  
"Oh, pardon me, I didn't realize this was about fairness. _Your_ fairness in particular.“

Tony put both palms flat against his chest. “Ouch, critical hit, critical hit.” When his joke fell flat, he snatched off his hat and ran a hand through matted hair. “What on earth is wrong? I just came to have lunch with you, geez Louise!” Pepper wanted to button her coat, but soon yanked it open again. “It’s time for you to grow up, seriously. Your responsibilities do not just include Iron Man or world peace, but also your family.”

“This motherly talk is such a turn off, _seriously_.”  
With a pointed expression on her face she mustered him from head to toe.  
“And _your_ man-child syndrome isn't really becoming, too, if you really want to know.”

Open hurt flickered up in Tony's eyes. He balled the hat in his hand before he smacked it onto the table. "Fuck this, for real. Ever since you're pregnant, all you do is blow things up into major issues. I hope and pray this is just your hormones talking, cause it's far from bed of roses at the moment." They stood ten feet apart; Pepper with arms crossed over her chest and Tony with arms akimbo, glaring at each other.

“Coming from the man going through second adolescence? Oh, please. Admit it, Tony, you're not caring for your 'bed of roses' – all you care about is your next party!” He gnawed at his soul patch and glowered. “Sure beats shopping for breast pumps and bibs if you ask me.“ She checked her mobile within her bag as it vibrated. “Don't worry, I won't bother you with any of that. I'll find someone who's interested.”  
  
That caused him to sneer. “Well, I could think of a certain _someone._ Wanna know who?” Bewilderment crossed Pepper's face. “I never thought you'd be like that. So completely heedless.” He craned his neck to look at the ceiling and tsked to himself. “That's what you always do, Pep, don't'cha?” Tony then whirled around to the desk and slammed his hands upon it.  
  
“Always do what?”

“Put words in my mouth.” Annoyed he cast her a sinister look. “And tellin' me I don't care? But honey, you're not much better.” She forced out a high-pitched laugh. “Why? Because I tell the truth? That you're not acting like a father-to-be? Not even interested in knowing what it'll be? Damn right I'm alone in this, Tony, I _know_ by now!” Furious, he straightened up again only to see her walking over to the door.

With a quick move he snatched his abandoned hat from the desk and pointed it at her back.  
“You haven't even _told_ me the gender!”  
Pepper's eyes met his, cold and distant of a sudden.  
  
“Because I wanted to find out with you, today. Together.”

The door to the office opened and the massive form of Happy Hogan stood in the doorway. He took in the scenery and looked from a flushed Pepper over to a gnarling Tony as he entered the spacious office. His hands brushed down the front of his jacket. “Uh, am I... interrupting something?” The chauffeur watched his boss slam his hat back on and shake his head. "No, nuthin.”

Pepper took a deep breath. “Hi, Happy. Good to see you. Let's go, I'm ready.” The big man mustered her with a skeptical glance before he pointed at his employer. “Erm, but if the bossman's free, maybe he wants to...” As if on cue, Pepper interlinked an arm with his and haltered his gesture. “Oh no, the _boss_ has a far more pressing appointment right now.” With gentle persuasion Pepper steered Happy towards the exit.

She threw a last look over her shoulder.  
“Enjoy your lunch, Tony. My regards to the Ivy Shore.”  
The billionaire stared after them, upset.

Pepper let go of Happy's arm and he let her enter the ante-room first. The domain of Dwight Johnson lay empty for the moment. “Playin' two ends against the middle again, Mrs. Stark?” Tony's voice was louder than before, and made Happy and Pepper stop in their tracks. The redhead took a deep breath and pressed a hand to her stomach.

Concerned, Hogan turned around. His longtime friend held onto the door frame and glared daggers at them. “Boss, I don't know what's up, but I don't think...” A finger got jabbed into his direction. “Right! You don't know shit! That's the problem. That's the whole fuckin' problem. I...” The entrance of Dwight Johnson, equipped with a headset and a steaming mug of coffee in his hand, interrupted the scene.

The personal assistant assessed the situation, kept a neutral face, and resumed his seat behind the desk. Pepper cleared her throat, a bit more settled. “Dwight, I'm off for the rest of the day. I'll take care of urgent matters via home office later on. Any calls will be forwarded to you for the next two hours. See you tomorrow.” The blonde assistant inclined his head in polite response.  
  
“Of course, Mrs. Stark. Have a nice afternoon.”  
His eyes ever so slightly switched between an uncomfortable Happy, and an angry Tony.  
“How about you clearing my schedule as well while you're at it, Dwighty-Whitey?”  
  
The billionaire dashed forward, almost colliding with Happy's shoulder, and brushed past him and his wife. Perplexed, Johnson looked at Pepper, who pressed her lips together. “Of... of course, Mister Stark. I'll have Mrs. Arbogast inform people that you're busy.” Tony yanked the door to the ante-room open with force. It slammed against the wall. “Just tell 'em I'm at fuckin' _lunch!”_

He left three flabbergasted people behind.

 


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me say sorry in advance *hangs head in shame*

Happy Hogan did his best in taking care of his boss' pregnant wife before and after her appointment. He refrained from touching the topic of her irate husband, and tried to get Pepper to eat something with him after they were done. With a professional false front she declined, politely, and had him escort her back home.

Something did not sit right with the big man during his drive back to work. For the rest of the day, he kept tabs on whether Tony would return for his office, but after 6PM Happy eventually gave up, called it a day and left for his home. Around 1AM, he woke from the sound of an incoming text message on his mobile.

 _'did she tel you'_  
Happy frowned at the out of the blue question and wiped a hand over his eyes.  
_'Pepper didn't tell me anything. Where are you?'_

When no answer followed, the big man turned on the lights and proceeded to get dressed.  
Happy had just buttoned his shirt when his phone beeped.  
_'avaln. git ya butt ere its insane'_

It did not take Hogan long to decipher Tony's current location. With no regards to it being a Thursday morning or him having to get up at 6AM for work, Happy took the I-10 E up to La Brea Avenue and reached the Avalon Club in Beverly Hills no thirty minutes later. He was able to get in without much of a problem, seeing most bouncers around L.A. knew and recognized him from Tony's previous decades of partying.

Happy made his way through a large surge of twenty-somethings until he spotted his friend amid the crowd.

Tony Stark was surrounded by six young women of different hair color and skirt lengths, all dancing with and around him. The billionaire was just leaning closer towards one of them and listened to something she said into his ear. Like an unwavering force of nature, Happy pushed his way through until he was close enough to hear his boss laugh out loud.

Tony still wore the same clothes as earlier on, minus jacket and hat, and had finger-combed his tousled hair back. He blinked behind red-colored shades at his arriving friend before he raised his arms in an ecstatic way, a half-full long drink glass in one hand. “Heyyyy, don' believe it! Hapster! Boy, how fast 're you!?“ The former bodyguard remained unfazed and eyed the surroundings.

Loud electro house boomed through the vast club area and stroboscopic effects streaked the dance floor. A big meaty hand then landed on Tony's shoulder. “Come on, time to call it a day, bossman." In a heady move, the billionaire shrugged it off. “Heck no, not till we take some shots t'gether.” Tony raised his index finger, drowned the rest of his drink and clutched Happy's arm.  
  
“F'low me.”

With an apologetic touch at his chest, Tony bowed down towards the girls they left behind and stumbled forward into the direction of the bar. Hogan followed him, glad to avoid awkward discussions with inebriated young women. The bartender pointed at the clock above the bar, which indicated almost 2AM. Due to status and a hundred dollar bill in between two fingers, Tony got his hands on two tequila shots.

Unsteady, he shoved one glass over to Happy. “There, fought for'n won. Cheers.” Without preamble, Tony tipped his head back and drowned his shot. Eyes ablaze he slammed it back on the bar, licked his lips and eyed his friend. Happy shook his head. “I'm getting you home now, Tony. Don't make it harder than it already is.” He made a move to clasp one of his forearms again.

In the black light over the bar, Tony's t-shirt shone spectral white, apart from some darker, sweated spots. Then the billionaire bared equally white teeth at him, audacious look in his eyes. “Make me.” Hogan narrowed his eyes as the fingers of his right hand twitched. “You don't want that, boss. Come on.” Instead of complying, Tony hooked his elbows onto the bar and gave a cocky grin.  
  
“Riiiight. Like _you_ ' _d_ ever dare 'n slug _me_.”  
He fumbled behind him for the second, untouched little tequila shot glass.  
_"That'd_ look bad on ya ref'rence letter.”

The former bodyguard calculated his options just as his employer downed his final shot. Visions of him leaving the club with an out-cold Tony Stark over his shoulder did not live up to his expectations, no matter how ridiculous Tony's threat was. “About that thing you wanted to know - from Pepper...” That seemed to do the trick.

At her name, Tony's eyes were quick to fly to his friend from where he had examined the dance floor, and he stopped bobbing along to the music. “So she tol' ya?” Despite his high level of intoxication, Tony seemed a bit more attentive. Hogan shifted on his feet and tried to play for time. He tapped his ears and shrugged. “Not in here.”

The billionaire rubbed his chin with the back of one hand, took off his shades and did the same to his eyes. After he had hooked the tinted glasses into the v-neck of his shirt and looked back up, he wore a feral grin. “Kay. Outside. Gonna get my stuff tho.” They wormed their way back to where Tony's jacket and hat lay abandoned in the private confines of his rented VIP area.

Happy frowned at the six large, empty Absolut Vodka bottles together with dozens of smashed Red Bull cans on the table. Several regulars, male and female alike, were squeezing themselves up on the lounge cubes around it. Haphazardly, Tony shoved his belongings into Happy's arms and started to go into a lengthy farewell session of male fist bumps and female air-kisses.

Hogan breathed out deep when they eventually stood outside of the Avalon at quarter past two in the morning. He walked straight up to his A6 on the parking lot next to the club when the steps behind him slowed down. Tony's sneakers crunched on the gravel. “So spill. What she said?” With a blip, the chauffeur unlocked his private limousine and opened the driver's door.  
  
“Get in first.”  
  
A wary Stark sauntered nearer and watched his friend throw his own jacket and hat onto the passenger seat. When Happy straightened back up, Tony stood right in front of him, only separated through the open door. He squinted at him like at a bug under a microscope. “You're a lousy liar, Hapster.” The breeze that went through the alley was mild, but the skin on Tony's bare arms erupted in goosebumps.  
  
Too drunk to notice or care, the billionaire at least seemed to sober up ever so slightly when the fresh air hit his face. He gave a push which made Happy step aside as the driver's door slammed shut again. “Bout time ya start lying t'me, too. Ev'rybody does.” Bewildered Happy stared at him, before Tony turned and headed back for the club. When Hogan tried to grab his wrist, Tony swung around and pulled back his fist.

Happy did the first thing that came to his mind and socked him right on the jaw; though with very restrained vigor. Momentum still sent Tony spiraling onto the hood of the Audi, which he managed to grab to prevent falling down to the ground. Incredulous, Happy regarded his panting friend. All of a sudden, Stark began to snigger; it was a strange sound at an oddest moment.  
  
“Touché.”  
Tony slowly straightened back up to his full height again. Happy was relieved not to see any blood or bruises on his face.  
“But do that again and I won't play defense, kay?”

Without further explanation the inventor half staggered, half stumbled over and got into the passenger seat. He slipped his shades back on and dozed off halfway on the US-101 N, which was the fastest way for Hogan to get his unruly fare back home. At 3 AM, Happy nudged him awake. “We're there.”

Bleary-eyed Tony fumbled with the seat belt until Happy helped him out of it. He nearly forgot to take his jacket and hat along, and the chauffeur waited outside until his boss had made it into his mansion and the main door closed behind him. Hogan would return home at 4 AM, with the firm intention to take the upcoming day off.

***

With a start, Pepper blinked her eyes open into the dark of the night.  
She had heard a far away crashing noise, and her heart beat fast in her chest.  
Her first reaction was to cup her hand around her belly as if to still the baby inside.

“Tony?”  
No answer came, and Pepper fumbled to her left on his empty bedside.  
“Jarvis? What is going on?”

Despite being alone, Pepper whispered and sat up in the darkness.  
The AI lightened the room a little up for her to see.  
“I believe Mister Stark has just returned home, Madam.”

Pulling her bathrobe tight around her growing form, she tiptoed downstairs to find Tony's linen jacket and fedora carelessly thrown on the couch. Her husband must have ran into the sideboard, as the wooden statue on it had toppled over and fell down to the floor. "Jarvis, can we have a little more light here as well, please?“

The room lit up further, and Pepper saw Tony stumble back from the house bar with a bottle in his hand. He still wore his red-colored Robert Marc shades, which might have been another reason for his miscalculation in the semi-dark. Her frown increased. “You're late.“ Tony's arm described a wide arc as he made a dramatic move to check his watch.

The glimpse he gave it was too fast and haphazard. “That depends on the poin' of view. 'S quite early 'lready.“ He then grinned and spread his arms open wide. “Jarvisss – time?“ “It is 3:23 AM, Sir.“ Self-opinionated, Tony nodded with a huge bow of his head. “Sssseee? Rise'n shine, baby.” Pepper walked towards him, but stopped and bent down with effort to pick the little wooden statue back up.

When she looked back at her husband and brushed her hair behind her ear, her mouth was set in a grim line. “I don't know the reason why you feel the need to do this to you and to us,“ she pointed at her belly, “but if you're coming back reeking like a distillery from miles away you're going to sleep on the couch; tonight and in the future. Jarvis - is it possible to lock Mister Stark out of the bedroom on those occasions?”

Tony slumped down on one of the low stairs of the gallery and cocked his head at the Scotch in his hand. Then the AI spoke up. “Certainly, Mrs Stark. If the Sir is a potential danger to himself or to you, precautionary measures can be taken without his consent.” The billionaire's mouth curled into a warped smile and he raised the near empty bottle of Crown Royal to his lips.

“Whassamatter with you? OhhIsee… thisis ‘bout me. Go on, I dun’ wanna disturb ya tellin’ J whadda big asshole I am.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, mindful of the bump underneath. “Lately you've indeed gone back to behaving like one. Your timing is once again far from perfect since it leaves me to worry about two kids in this household.”

Tony Stark then raised his head and cynically sneered at his wife.  
"Hey, maybe ya won't even havta bother - maybe 't goes wrong."  
The words left his mouth before he could stop them.

“How... can you say that?”  
Despite her whisper, Pepper's throat felt constricted.  
“How _dare_ you say something like that to my face?”

She turned away from him and covered her mouth with her hands as a sob escaped her lips.  
Miserable, Tony let go of the empty bottle which clattered to the marble floor and tried to get to his feet.  
“Pep – no! Please... I'm sssorry...”

Bent over at the hip, Tony staggered on for two steps before he lost his balance and ungracefully dropped down to the floor on all fours. In that moment, through the blur of her tears, Pepper Stark could not help but to hate her pathetic-looking husband. She fought hard against those feelings; it was his addiction speaking, not himself.

"I don't know where all of your self-hate and destructive behavior comes from again, but I do know it's not the right place to raise a child in. I'll give the Promises Center a call first thing tomorrow. You will go into rehab for at least a month, if not longer.”

Quivering, Pepper turned away from the sight of him, went back upstairs, and locked the bedroom from the inside.  
Under tears she then curled herself together on their bed and cried for a long time:  
For Tony, for their marriage, for their unborn child, and for herself.

 


	26. Chapter 26

True to her word, Pepper had the registration forms on her desk by the upcoming afternoon.

Twenty-eight days of an inpatient program. The program itself was fairly traditional; there were group sessions and classes throughout the day with some time mixed in for recreation. It also incorporated elements of "eastern" philosophy such as meditation, acupuncture, steams & sauna's, herbal supplements, massage, and martial arts. Exercise and diet were also strongly emphasized.

At the Promises, addiction was treated as a whole body issue, rather than just a mental problem.

Pepper knew, probably better than anyone, apart from Happy or Rhodey, that Tony Stark's history with recovery as well as with drugs long predated the press coverage. He had been in three different rehabilitation facilities between 1996 and 2005. Tony's reputation as a celebrity addict and the extensive publicity surrounding made his uneven pattern of recovery seem both exceptionally dramatic and drastic.

He was however only exceptional in having been so very publicly caught. Such scenario was the least Pepper wanted to happen again, nearly ten years later. She remembered from the beginnings of her career as his PA how it used to bother him when people said they believed in him during recovery. He had found it condescending and a comment on his liabilities rather than a commendation of his assets and his genius.

Therefore, she kept matters vague in front of the board, as to why the CEO of Stark Industries was unavailable for the upcoming weeks, created many different scenarios which would make gossiping not that easy, and got together with legal to ensure proper handling of all things considered. This time around, Tony agreed without complaint once he was back to being sober the other day.

When Pepper stood in their bedroom and packed a suitcase for him with a heavy heart, his footsteps made her look up as he entered the room. She almost dropped the latest pile of t-shirts from utter surprise and shock. "Tony! What? But, why did you...?“ The billionaire went over to one of the many mirrored closet doors and looked at himself.  
  
With scorn he wiped over the clean-shaven face staring back at him.  
"I need another version of me going in there. One that's not gonna come back.“  
His wife abandoned her packing, moved behind him and regarded him through the mirror as well.

The skin underneath his longtime goatee was a tad bit lighter than on his face, but would tan just as easily. Thoughtful, Pepper reached out over his shoulder and gave the smooth area a stroke. Tony's hand reached up, gripped hers, and held it tight as their eyes met in the mirror.

***

Promises Center Malibu, 7th  August 2013

The campus was large with wooded trails, a small lake, and ample exercise facilities.  
They sat in the shade of a huge oak tree and listened to the birds singing in the distance.  
It was warm and sunny, maybe even if a little too warm.

“Right now I'm feeling like this wild, unpredictable, tragic and self-destructive guy. But in here,“ Tony pointed his index finger around. "In here it doesn't matter to have all that stuff - the big spread, the cars, the dough. It's still nice to have, mind you. But it's nicer to be free from the attachment to identifying with it. It's nice to know what... counts.''

Big, soulful brown eyes found his wife, and Tony's hand reached over the massive wooden picnic table.  
He did not force contact though, and Pepper refrained from taking it. His fingers began to trace the wood grain instead.  
“How long do I have to stay in here?”

Pepper cleared her throat and tried to remember him on his latest heavy drinking binge two and a half weeks earlier. She brushed down her summery, white cotton dress. “I suppose until you are ready to change, Tony.” Her husband pursed his lips. Since the day his goatee had fallen victim to the razor, he had not bothered to style it anew and sported a graying shadow of designer stubble on cheeks and chin instead.

It looked nice, she decided, but still not like him.  
“How can I tell if I'm 'ready' Pep? What if I'm never gonna be 'ready'?”  
Pepper released a breath she did not know she had been holding.

“I don't know. I can't tell, and neither can anyone else who isn't you... it's hard enough for you to know as it is. But, until then, this rehab is only a stopgap measure.” Tony drummed the knuckles of his index fingers onto the table. “Yeah, you're probably right." With a bitter smile he looked sideways into the lawns where the sun shone upon the green grass.  
  
“Truth hurts, doesn't it?”  
The redhead followed his gaze and began to stroke her belly.  
“Words like those you said to me that night hurt even more.”  
  
He hung his head low. Then his eyes shot up, frantic all of a sudden. “Will you still want me around, after all is through? Cause, Pep, if I get out here in a coupl'a weeks and find the mansion empty, then I dunno what...” He ran a hand through his hair only to rub the nape of his neck afterwards. “If I wanted to leave, I would've left by now, Tony.”

Her voice was clear and unwavering, despite her inner state of mind. Pepper knew what Tony was capable of; it had scared her numerous times way back in the days. He only nodded, subdued. She caught him staring at her wedding band as she rubbed her belly. “At least you're still wearing it.” His wife cocked her head and also regarded the expensive two rings on her finger.

“Through good and hard times - as we vowed.”

After a brief moment, Anthony Edward Stark then placed his head upon his arms on the table and began to weep in silence. Pepper was taken aback by how his shoulders trembled, and fought hard against her own tears. Then she reached over and placed a hand on his forearm.

“We need you, Tony. _I_ need you.”

It made him shake even harder. Pepper got up with a little difficulty in order not to bump into the edge of the table. She walked around, sat next to his devastated form and, with slow, careful motions, pulled him to her. Tony leaned in without complaint. “You _can_ and you _will_ get through this, Tony. But you have to _want_ to get better.”

He sniffed and wiped at his eyes with his fingers, more than embarrassed.  
“Pep, I'm trying – I'm _more than_ trying!”  
Her familiar scent combined with her touch eventually managed to soothe him.

When he spoke, his voice, while steady, still sounded self-deprecating. “You do know though that I'm not exactly the most stable element in the periodic table, right?“ His wife squeezed his tight shoulders. “You're one of the world's most greatest scientists of the century – if someone can make it, it's you.” That elicited a quiet, disheartened laugh from him. “Don't let Doc Banner hear you sayin' that.”

When Tony seemed to be more relaxed and calm, Pepper rubbed his back in a finalized motion and moved to stand up. His eyes followed her, uncertain, as she stood above him, straightened out her dress, and reached out for his hand soon after. “Walk with me. Over there.” She pointed to the small pond in the distance. Tony was quick to stand up and made a move to interlink his fingers with hers.

For a couple of yards, they simply walked side by side in silence. His thumb gently stroked the back of hers in a regular rhythm. Pepper had pushed her sunglasses upon her head, despite the brightness of the sun, seeing that Tony did not wear shades either. When they reached the waterside, both of them squinted against the reflecting surface of the water.

“It's gonna be a girl, by the way.”  
Tony looked at her, bewildered at the sudden confession. Pepper gave a faint smile.  
“I thought you might want to know.”

For a moment his eyes roamed around her, until Tony glanced back over the lake.

“A girl.”  
His mouth then began to slowly form an enchanted smile  
“A little princess.”

Tony squeezed her fingers and nodded to himself, like he had just come to a conclusion. "You know, the drinking - there's all the stuff about it's a disease, it's a moral dilemma… but I think at the end of the day, it's the lack of making a solid personal decision. Sometimes the stakes have to be so high that it's clear." He stubbed at a pebble with his sneakered toe, then subsequently pulled her a little closer.

Pepper took the opportunity to lean her head on his shoulder. Her pregnancy left her with swollen feet each day, resulting in her wearing flats, which equaled them in height. “Lately you've had a distinctive need to play for higher stakes. And I think I know why.” She took his hand and softly placed it upon her growing belly. “I know this scares you, Tony, a lot more than you like to admit, but you have to understand that you are _not_ your father.”

He flinched and wanted to draw away, but she held him in place, looking at him.  
“You are Not. Your. Father.”  
Tony's eyes darted within the blue ones of his wife for a very long moment.

Without a word, he then took his hand away from her stomach, reached up to cup her cheek, and leaned in for the first real kiss since his arrival at the Promises center. Pepper's hands wormed their way around his neck as she returned his eager display of emotions. After a while she broke their union, a little breathless, and drew back.

“I gotta go soon, visiting time's nearly over.”  
Tony licked his lips and raised a hand to trace her temple with his index finger.  
“Hey, any chance I could convince you to bunk over tonight? I'm puttin' the 'hot' in psychotic. And they do a mean mushroom risotto here.”

Pepper shook her head with a smile.  
“I have to get home; my feet are killing me.”  
She switched from one foot to the other for emphasis. Tony looked down.

“Who knew flats would be the death of you.”

Both smiled at each other, a little unsure for words. Whenever Pepper had to leave him behind during her visits, it always made him miserable and gave her a guilty conscience. She tried to remind herself he was there to get better, not to get punished. “Any wishes for my next visit? Muffins? Donuts?” Tony seemed to ponder the possibilities for a while. Then he grinned conspiratorially.

“Anything you could hide a file in is fine by me.”  
Pepper just ruffled his hair.  
“Have a nice evening. I'll call you tomorrow.”  
  
He nodded, more serious this time.  
“Drive carefully.”  
His wife also nodded before she turned to walk back to the gates.  
  
Tony wanted to add an 'I love you', but felt awkward to do so and only smiled.  
She turned around one last time, to wave at him where he stood, hands in his pockets.  
He looked like a lost, little boy.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of info about Tony's addiction comes from various sources and quotes of/about RDJ's own dark period with substance abuse, way back in the days. Another reason to admire him even more for what he has accomplished in life!


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to twist the knife in a little further, now shall we?

They must have been watching her for some time.

Otherwise it was not to be explained how the three men in their blue Dodge RAM could have caught Pepper as she walked from the Promises main building over to her car. Parking ground was scarce in Malibu's posh neighborhood, so the lot was full most times. After her first visit, Pepper had switched to parking offside, where security cameras were installed, but unfortunately filmed into the opposite direction.

Her kidnappers were unmasked, but everything went so fast that Pepper did not even have enough time to properly get a look at the two guys who grabbed her by the arms and firmly guided her towards their van. She could and would have struggled, but the small, cylindrical object pressed in her back made her think twice. Before she knew it, a blindfold was around her eyes, and her hands were tied.

Most of her jumbled thoughts were with her unborn child, and she tried to calm her frantic beating heart by breathing deep. The back of the van smelled stale and of old takeout food, and Pepper fought back the bile that rose from her throat. They wanted something from Tony no doubt; something to do with Iron Man, his money, his suits, whatever it was.

With him in rehab they had just proven how easy it had been to get access on the biggest, mightiest leverage they possibly could get.  
  
Tony and Happy had been right in their often times tiresome efforts to keep an eye out for her, the weakest link so to speak. Pepper always hated the term damsel in distress, but now, almost seven months in, she knew she was even more vulnerable than before. “Nice and easy, sister, and nothing will happen to you.” The voice was low and manipulated on purpose.

She chose to stay silent and held her head down. The engine of the van sprang to life, and Pepper tumbled sideways onto the bench seat, as none of the men had bothered to fasten a seat belt around her. Her feet scraped on the floor mat to get back into a sitting position. Her struggles were rewarded with a hand that roughly pulled her upright again, and shoved her into the far corner to lean against a metal pillar.

“Where are you taking me?”  
No answer.  
“If it’s money that you want…"

“Shut up, missy. Until we tell you to speak, you keep quiet.”  
So Pepper did.  
Her hands clutched around her bump and stroked it to calm her nerves.

The drive did not take longer than forty-five minutes, and Pepper got pulled to her feet as soon as the engine stopped. The sliding door swooshed open, and someone pressed down on her head when she stepped out of the van. She nearly twisted her ankle as she miscalculated the distance from car to ground. A hushed voice piped up to her left.

“Be careful you asshole, we don’t need her injured.”

Pepper sent a silent prayer heavenwards; at least one kidnapper seemed not out for the worst. As long as she was held up, she needed to assess whom of them she could try and turn to. There was always one in the bunch who was not as brutal as the rest. “She’s gonna get more than a fuckin bump on her head if her dude’s not playin along.”

And, Pepper wryly concluded, there was always one who would be especially dangerous. She hoped and prayed Tony would not cave in to whatever they wanted. Knowing him, she was fairly certain that he would put her safety above everything else, and that thought got her anxious and frightened at the same time.

Still blindfolded, she was led into a building of some kind, and pushed down on a hard, wooden chair. Pepper swallowed around a dry throat and pondered to ask for some water when a cold object got shoved next to her cheek and ear. After her initial shock, it did not take her too long to recognize it as a receiver. "You're gonna speak with rehab and ask for your man.“

"They probably won't let me speak with him now – it's past visiting hours and...“

"Then get the fuck creative, lady. The longer I have to wait, the longer you have to sit through this, got it? And we've not even started yet.“

Callous laughter erupted behind her back, and Pepper's mouth tightened into a thin line. Stalling would make it worse for her, and she intended to come out of it as unharmed as she could manage. With a soft sigh, she wet her equally dry lips.

"I'll try.“

***

Tony had finished a light dinner and was just on his forth mile on the treadmill, when a staff member approached him.

“Mister Stark? Your wife's on the phone.”  
He pushed a button to slow down his speed, and hopped onto the rim while the machine continued at walking pace.  
Tony grabbed his towel to wipe down face and neck.

“Did she say why?”  
The middle-aged woman shook her head and looked at him with mild reproach.  
“Said it was urgent. I told her we normally don't make exceptions past 9PM, but...”

Tony put up his most fantastic smile which caused her sternness to falter a little.  
“Thanks, Brenda. You're a doll amid this cage of raging lunatics.”  
The black nurse had to suppress a smile and cast her eyes down.

The billionaire knew he was by far one of her favorite inpatients, thanks to his charm and wit, and could get away with certain things. It was a gift not to be bought with money. “I put it through. Don't let anybody else know or it's been the last time.” He jumped off the treadmill after switching it off and went towards his private room. With a smooth spin on his heel he turned to throw Brenda a kiss and a final wink.

Upstairs, Tony plopped onto his bed and grabbed the blinking phone.  
“What up, hon? By now the risotto's all gone if you've changed your mind there.”  
“Tony...”

Her frightened voice set him on alert in an instant.  
Some rustling on the other end of the line was heard, then there was an unfamiliar, male voice.  
Tony sat up straight.  
  
“Your wife decided to keep us a little company here. She cannot talk to you right now, but I will speak for her.”  
The billionaire clenched his teeth and breathed heavily through his nose.  
“Who are you? What do you want?”

“Your money. Five million bucks, in inconspicuous amounts. The day after tomorrow, San Vicente Park. The forest trail behind the parking area. Be there at 1AM.” With an agile jump, Tony sprang up from his bed and began to pace around his room. “Fuck, man, you're crazy.”

“Is that a no?”  
Tony listened to some muffled sounds on the other end.  
When he identified them as Pepper's whimpering, he squeezed his eyes shut, helpless and wild with rage.

“Wait - STOP! Money ain't the problem, but let me speak to her again.”  
“You're not in charge of negotiations here, Stark. Get the money within the next 48 hours. Then you can get her back safe and sound.”  
“I need more time! You know I'm not at home, fella, so cut back on those high expectations a little.”

“Wonder what your wife will say about Iron Man getting caught up at rescuing her. If she's still able to talk by then, that is.”  
Tony palmed the window frame with his free hand and tried to control his blazing anger.  
“Boy, you're gonna regret this. Do you even know what you've gotten yourself into?”

The kidnapper just laughed in his ear. “On that note, Stark: Don't get in touch with your military connections, or anyone else. And most of all - leave your suits at home. If not, we'll cut the baby right out of her belly in front of the camera and make you watch. You've got two days.” A click and the connection got cut.

The first thing Tony then did was bolt for the restroom.  
There, he started to dry heave over the toilet for the upcoming minutes.  
He rose with shaking legs, turned up the faucet and splashed cold water over his face and hair until he felt real again.

He left Promises no thirty minutes later; his most necessary belongings stuffed into a backpack, and without any notification or official check-out. Rehab left him with some loose change, no mobile and no car keys. Tony hiked his way over towards Big Rock Drive, where he found a phone booth and called for a cab. It arrived ten painfully long minutes later, and he threw himself into the back seat.

“Where to, Sir?”  
Tony pulled the base cap deeper into his face as the cab driver looked at him in the rear view mirror.  
“29248 Cliffside Drive.”

After the twenty-five minute drive, he was dropped off half a mile away from his mansion. The cab driver, a man in his late sixties with a beak-shaped nose and flimsy hair, hooked one arm over the backrest and eyed him with expectation. “That’ll be forty dollars.” A startled noise escaped Tony’s lips. “What?!” Impatient the driver tapped the screen of his taxi meter.  
  
“ _Forty dollars_ , Mister.”  
  
Incredulous, the billionaire started to fumble his pockets for the few coins. He was able to produce five dollars and sixty cent, to which the other man’s face dropped. “Hope you've got some credit cards on ya.” Even if Tony might have had his wallet with him, he would not have given away his true identity. He put up an apologetic smile instead and began to unfasten his watch.  
  
“Here, take this. It’ll do.”  
  
Disgruntled, the man snatched the little item and twisted it in his hand. For a moment, he seemed to debate with himself whether to take the offer or call the cops. Eventually he stuffed the watch into his breast pocket and threw his passenger a scolding look. “Dis better not be a cheap rip-off, sonny. Next time, have some money on ya.”

Anthony Stark; one of America’s richest and most powerful men, and one who just gave away a watch worth twenty thousand dollars, put up a smirk and got out of the car. “Won’t happen again.” The flashlights of the cab caught him once more as the driver took a turn and left for the main road. Tony then shouldered his backpack and started to break out in a run towards the gates of his mansion in the distance.

 


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's get the ball rolling..

Malibu, 7th  August 2013

  
“Yes?”  
“It's me.“  
“... what do you want, Tony?”

“I... need your help. Pepper's been kidnapped.”  
“When?”  
“Tonight.”

“From the mansion?”  
“No, after her visit.”  
“When have you last spoken to her?”

“An hour ago. Whoever they are called at Promises, made Pepper do it to fool reception and get put through.”

“ _Promises_?”  
Tony breathed in deep. He did not have time for unnecessary explanations.  
“The... rehab center here in Malibu.”

He gave no further details, and Bruce remained silent for a second.  
“I see. Then what?”  
“Ransom demand. Told me I got two days.”

“You agreed to their demands?”  
“Damn straight I did!”  
“Then what do you need me for?”

Again Tony heaved a deep breath. The way Bruce grilled him made him even more edgy.  
“If you don the Batsuit, nobody can trace that kind of backup. And I need backup.”  
“Why contact me and not your trusted band of allies then?”

Now it was Tony who remained silent for a split second, and Bruce pressed on.  
“I've been out of the loop far too long, and you don't trust me anyhow.”  
“She's... pregnant, okay? And I can't have S.H.I.E.L.D. or anyone in on the whole thing.”

Bruce remembered the magazine cover back in Greece and felt cold jealousy rising from the bottom of his heart.

“So I've heard. But what does that have to do with me?”  
Tony drew in a shaky breath.  
“It's yours.”

***

Santorini, 7th  August 2013

  
After the call, Bruce stared along the vastness of his apartment through the open patio door, where the ocean lay sparkling and blue. His consternation made it difficult for him to sort his fleeting thoughts. He tried to push past the how and why Tony Stark dared to make wild assumptions and paced around the living room.

Biological fatherhood aside, with Pepper in imminent danger he could and would not sit around in Greece any longer. Tony had been vague about details; he wanted him in L.A. as soon as possible, no detours to Gotham. Normally not one for being ordered around, Bruce had consented rather fast, still too stunned by the whole incident at hand.

It took him an hour to pack his belongings, check out and pay for his rented villa in Santorini and get in touch with Alfred to have his butler on standby as well. Despite a private jet at his beck and call, Bruce knew he still needed at least twenty-four hours to California, stopovers included. When he text-messaged his ETA, Tony’s reply was curt.

_‘too long. head for NY. SI jet waiting.’_

And so Bruce Wayne got on board on a Gulfstream and waited through take-off before he made his way over to the lavatory. There, he spent ten minutes, until a clean-shaven version stared back at him. Afterwards he reclined in one of the leather seats and tried to find some sleep. He found himself blinking around ever so often and stared out into the skies instead.

He arrived in L.A. long after sunset, on the black Honda CBR that Tony had stashed for him in the baggage compartment of his Cessna Citation X with unknown foresight. It allowed Wayne to cross the distance from the airfield to Stark Mansion in less than twenty minutes. He stood, helmet in one hand, in front of the dark main entrance until Jarvis spoke up.

“Welcome, Mister Wayne. Mister Stark expects you in his workshop. Through the living room and downstairs to your left.”

With a curt nod Bruce pressed the door open and entered the dimly lit mansion. He remembered the floor plan even without the AI's instructions, and soon found himself in front of the massive glass doors in the basement. The digits of the control panel glowed blue at him, daring him to enter a code.

“Your access code is 735, Sir.”

With a lopsided smirk at the Gotham City zip code reference, Bruce typed as he was told and the doors opened with a hiss. He was not able to make out Tony in the cavernous workshop and stood, waiting and glancing around. The difference to the first time he had taken a look at the hall was huge. Iron armors stood, massive and imposing, in a gallery. Luxury cars were lined up on the side.

Bruce did a quick inventory and came up with two different Audi R8, an Acura NSX, a Koenigsegg Agera R, and a Corvette c2 Sting Ray convertible. With an appreciative tug of the mouth he placed his helmet onto a nearby sideboard and made his way in. He found the other man with his back towards him, hunched over a table. Next to Tony sat an open suitcase. On closer examination, Bruce got a glimpse of its contents.

It was filled to the brim with bundles of $100 banknotes. Bruce cleared his throat.

“How much do they want?”  
Tony barely moved his head to hiss over his shoulder.  
“Does it matter?”

Abruptly he stood up, swung around, and Bruce looked into the face of a man emotionally overwhelmed with despair and fury. He did not even attempt to duck when Tony pulled back his fist. Instead of fighting back, the Gothamite let him hit twice, before he held the shorter man at arm's length. Exhausted, Stark all but slumped in his grip, fingers clawing at Wayne's leather jacket.

Bruce dragged him over to his workbench where Tony buried his face in his hands.

“Handover is tomorrow night. San Vicente Park.”  
His voice was muffled behind his fingers.  
“They threatened to cut the baby out of her if anything goes wrong.”

Bruce heaved a deep breath.  
“How would you know it's...”  
A dulled laugh filled the air as Tony waved him off in dismal.

“Palladium poisoning causes infertility. I've had Jarvis run enough tests on me in the past to be a hundred percent sure. That stuff never lets me reproduce, no matter what.” His lifeless voice then took on an even more bitter note. “Maybe for the better tho, wouldn't wanna unleash yet another poor, misguided alcoholic on this unsuspecting world.”

Taken aback, the Gothamite stayed silent for a very long moment and stared at the wall. It was Tony who finally sniffed, straightened his back and tried to focus on a foolproof rescue plan which would neither endanger Pepper's life, nor that of her child. "About your gear...” Tony had Jarvis show graphics of Jefferson Park for them to get accustomed to the area.  
  
Bruce walked through the 3D model, arms crossed in front of his chest. “I spoke with Alfred during my flight. He'll be back in Gotham and have the necessary parts shipped over to California by morning.” When Tony looked as if he was about to utter his doubts, Bruce fixated him with a steadfast glare.

“It'll be here on time.”

 


	29. Chapter 29

Los Angeles / San Vicente Mountain Park, 9th  August 2013  
  


It was a thirty mile drive from the mansion to the destination in one of the more remote neighborhoods of L.A. During the fifty minutes, Tony's mind ran in incoherent circles. It was a wonder he did not put Pepper's own Audi S7 Sportsback into a ditch. The faint but lingering scent of her inside the cabin soothed him, and he re-gripped the wheel.

He arrived on the scene five minutes earlier, switched off the engine and sat in silence. Tony's eyes tried to make out something outside of the windshield, but there was no sign of the kidnappers so far. The inventor knew the Batman was already on-site for a longer period of time, hidden somewhere in the dark, and would keep a close eye on the scene.

They had gone through the details of the plan countless times. Tony would hand over the suitcase with the ransom, get Pepper into his car and into safety, and have the dark knight take care of tracking the goons down until Iron Man was able to come at them. It was a point Stark had been adamant about; he needed to take care of his own sweet revenge, Wayne's self-righteous ideology be damned.

Nobody dared to threaten him or his wife and lived to see the next day, much rather brag about it in public.

The two billionaires had decided on a small earpiece as means of communication, and Tony unconsciously pulled the dark hood tighter over his head. It was a device so small, it would not even be visible without him wearing his hoodie, but he did not want to take any risks as long as he did not consider Pepper to be safe and sound with him.

“Unlit van approaching, west.”

He felt the adrenaline pumping faster through his veins at the gruff voice in his ear. Tony watched the vehicle come to a halt sixty feet away from him and reached over to grab the suitcase from underneath the passenger seat. Resolutely, he exited the car and slammed the door shut. Bark mulch crunched under his sneakers as he marched forward.

Two masked goons got out whilst their driver stayed inside and turned on the parking lights. Tony's heart thumped fast against his chest as he watched one of them pull out a handgun. Then they led a blindfolded Pepper in between them out of the van. Her hands seemed to be tied on her back, and his fist tightened around the steel case as they pulled her in position.

“You got the money?”  
The billionaire raised the suitcase mid-air.  
“Here. Now let her go.”

At his voice, Pepper's head shot up lightening fast.  
“Tony?”  
She sounded distraught but not panicked. He focused on her for a moment.

“I'm here, hun, everything's gonna be alright.”  
Impatient the kidnapper pointed the muzzle of his semi-automatic at the suitcase.  
“Money first.”

With clenched teeth Tony reached out and hurled the case onward. It landed with a clatter halfway between him and the kidnappers on the gravel path. Pepper flinched a little at the unexpected sound, and the silent masked man next to her reinforced his grip on her arm. His companion exchanged looks with him.

“Go and check.”  
He let go of Pepper's arm and also pulled a small semi-automatic from his waistband.  
“Wait up.”

Cautious, the kidnapper bent down, flipped the lid open and peeked inside. Once he was certain of its contents, he slammed it shut and rose back to his feet, suitcase in hand. Both eyed Tony who stood, all coiled tension and with a barely contained need to retaliate, his hands balled at his sides and glared at them. “You got what you want, fellas, now let her go.”

The one with the suitcase sauntered back to Pepper and his companion. He pointed the muzzle of his gun into the sky and, with a lazy flick of his thumb, cocked the hammer next to Pepper's ear. Tony breathed hard as he watched her turn her head away in fright. “Bastard, you got what you wanted. Take the money and go.”

In less than a second, the gun was pointed right at him. Undeterred, Tony still stood his ground, even as the kidnapper grinned with malice and imitated the noise of a shot being fired while he held his weapon at the level of Tony's head. “Bang - you're dead, Iron Man. One shot and you're dead, kay? So just shut the fuck up.”

Pepper gave a quiet whimper as a shiver ran through her body. Tony licked his lips as his eyes darted from her to the cocksure goon who was taunting him. Before he made up his mind about giving a retort, the kidnapper's companion seemed to have enough. He looked behind at their driver still in the van and back at the other man.

“C'mon, let's go.”

While the trigger-happy one still had trained his gun on Tony, Pepper received a small push to the back from the other kidnapper. She stumbled a little at the sudden change, but kept on moving. With no possibility to reach for the blindfold over her eyes, she inched forward to where she hoped Tony would be. Her husband was about to move forward and take her into his arms.

The goon with the gun, now the only one still outside the van, made a few tutting noises.  
“You stay right where I can see your hands, bucko.”  
Seething Tony bared his teeth at him.  
  
“She can't see you nitwit, I'm not gonna...”  
  
A single shot then rang out, fired right into the ground next to Pepper. With a scream of fright, she hurried onward, to where Tony's voice had been. In full panic mode, her foot got caught up within a solid nest of tubers, and caused her to stumble.

Everything then took a turn for the worse.

 


	30. Chapter 30

Pepper heard Tony yell her name in mid-fall, until the ground pierced her unprotected belly with a stinging pain.

She could not help but to cry out, even as it caused her to swallow a mouthful of soil and wooden splinters. Everything around her began to turn quiet, as if wrapped in cotton wool. In slow motion, she all but rolled onto her side with aching shoulders, felt solid rock underneath her, and closed her eyes as a certain kind of warmth started to spread within her from the inside out.

Before Tony, wild-eyed and frantic, even had the chance to go for the kidnapper despite being unarmed, the masked goon dropped to the ground as if by magic. Out of nowhere, the Batman landed upon the van with a drop that shook the entire vehicle. He wasted to time in throwing a miniscule smoke-bomb through the open passenger window, and listened as loud yelling and coughing erupted from the inside.

Another slice of his Batarangs flattened out the van's tires, and the dark knight went for the man he had knocked unconscious with a tranquilizer dart. Tony meanwhile had fallen to his knees besides his wife, took away the blindfold and handcuffs and half-cradled her huddled form in his lap. Her breath came in short gasps as she slung her arms around herself with a moan.  
  
“The... baby... my baby...”

In shock Tony Stark started to shake his head over and over. He brushed a tender finger over her mouth when she attempted to say something. “Don't speak, Pep, save your strength. You and the baby both gonna be alright, and you'll be bossing me around only a month from now. You have to believe me!” Crouched on the ground, Tony fumbled for his phone, only to realize with a curse it was still in the car.

The Batman took over his position as Tony scrambled away, tore off his cape and wrapped it around Pepper's shivering form. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and the dark knight forced himself to stay focused. Behind him, he heard footsteps hurrying back. They took another direction, however, and the Batman turned around. With a glance over at the unconscious goon, Tony saw red.

Quick as lightening, he made a move for the gun that had fallen down to the ground, and pointed it at its owner. A dark clad arm then parried his shot and caused the bullet to go straight into the sky. Two black-rimmed eyes narrowed in on him. “No. It doesn't change anything. Stay with her. Keep her warm so hypothermia or shock don't set in. I'll take care of the rest.”

Vision blurred by tears, Tony wedged the phone between shoulder and ear, knelt over his wife and pressed the black cape tightly around her frame. Her head lolled to the side and he touched her cheek. “Stay awake, Pep, please! I'm not going to let you die on me!” Her breath came in short gasps as she blinked up in the sky, anxious and confused. Tony clutched her cold shaking hand in between his sweaty ones.  
  
“Focus on my voice, honey, just focus on me.”

***

“911. What’s your emergency?”  
“There’s been a mugging here! My wife’s been injured. I need help – quick!”  
“Okay Sir, I need you to calm down one second and tell me your exact location. Where are you at?”

“San Vicente Park. She’s losing a lot of blood, and her breathing is too fast! What am I supposed to do, please hurry up – I…”  
“We’ll have officers on the scene in less then five minutes. Can you try to perform CPR?”  
“She fell down hard and, and there’s… I dunno – she’s very pregnant. I don’t know if I can just... oh, God… there's so much blood!”

"Sir, try to stay calm please. Try to put pressure on the wound to prevent blood loss if possible. An ambulance is on its way.”  
“Please, hurry, I beg you.”  
Sirens started to wail in the distance soon after.

It took them seven minutes to arrive at the scene, and another fifteen to reach the Cedars-Sinai thirteen miles away.

 


	31. Chapter 31

Cedars Sinai emergency department, 10th  August 2013  


   
Doctor Susan Gardner slipped the stained pair of disposable gloves into a waste bin and went for the basin at the wall. After she had scrubbed her forearms clean and toweled them dry, she pushed the swinging doors open and exited the operating room. Outside in the surgical waiting room, a lone, tired and rumpled looking man slouched in one of the hard plastic chairs.

At her entry, he sprang up and cast large, worried eyes at her. Doctor Gardner recognized him immediately. “Mister Stark, first and foremost I come with positive news.” He wiped a hand over his drawn face and the doctor could see his eyes were red-rimmed. “Is she okay? She's okay, right? She'll be fine!” With a big sigh, Tony also allowed a tiny, insecure laugh to slip over his lips.  
  
“Unfortunately though, we were only able to save the mother. I am... very sorry, Sir.”

The sound then got stuck in Tony's throat.  
“The baby...? What...? Are you saying...?”  
Doctor Gardner put on an apologetic face. She was used to being the bearer of bad news.

“Your wife lost a high percentage of total blood volume. The fall may have triggered the miscarriage, but it is most likely the result of severe stress and strain of body and mind.” Then the man in front of her sank back down into the chair behind him. He placed his elbows on his thighs and, without a sound, buried his face in between his hands.

Susan Gardner regarded him for a few moments. Then Tony spoke into his palms.  
“Does she know?”  
“No, Sir. Mrs Stark is still heavily sedated after we had to perform a surgical evacuation. She is likely to wake within the next thirty minutes.”

Numb to the bone, Tony allowed Doctor Gardner to guide him over to a one-bed-room of the North Tower after surgery. He refused any food or water and instead went into the barrier-free bathroom to wash his face and hands. When he returned, the dark silhouette of the Batman hovered on the ledge outside the window. Wordless Tony turned, reached into the bathroom and returned with the black cape balled in his hands.

“How is she?”  
Tony flung the cloak back at him with venom and fresh tears in his eyes.  
“She lost the baby.”

The dark knight stared down at the blood-stained object within his gloves. Sounds from outside then reached their ears. Before Tony knew what was going on, the Batman disappeared from view, as the door opened, and two male nurses wheeled a gurney in. The billionaire stepped aside when they attached the patient bed to various monitors and machines.

Pepper looked small and pale within the sheets as the men pricked an IV into the back of her hand and adjusted the IV bag next to her one more time. A nod from each nurse and they were alone once more. Tony wasted no time in pulling a chair up to her bedside and reached out to slip his hand underneath her cold fingers with care.

The monotone beeping of the heart monitor remained the only sound.

Outside the room, the Batman hunched up on the windowsill and leaned his head back against the wall. He heard Tony Stark begin to cry into the night next to his sedated wife, and had to close his own eyes for a moment. The beast inside of him eventually managed to tamper with his bout of sentimentality, and the dark knight rose to his feet.

Wrath prevailed over empathy; soon the couple inside would look for, and find the true culprit to the ill-fated incident, which was him.

Bruce stared down at the encrusted blood stains on his gloves and made a decision.  
“I need to get away from here.”  
Tony started at the sound and swung around to the window.

“She's gonna wake any minute now. Don't you wanna wait that long?”  
Eyes narrowed the Gothamite pressed his lips together.  
“It's better if I don't.”

Incredulous at Wayne's behavior, Tony stood up swaying.  
“Little late for that, isn't it? T'was _your_ child, you ruthless bastard! _YOURS,_ goddammit!”  
The veins on his neck stood out as he pointed his index finger at the other man.

***

A voice wafted through the thick fog of her mind. A voice so familiar, but also so angry.  
“ _...T'was your child, you ruthless bastard! YOURS, goddammit!”  
_ Unbeknownst from the commotion around her, Pepper's psyche began to register.

Tony.  
Tony was angry.  
Tony was speaking in past tense.

With dread, Pepper listened to her inner voice. She tried to connect to the oh-so familiar feeling of life within her, but received no answer. Even though there was no physical pain, she felt empty and hollow. A low moan escaped her half-opened lips. Both men turned to look at her in an instant, and Tony abandoned his aggressive stance to hasten back over to her side.

Even though he still attempted to smile at her, his relief was short-lived as her eyes met his.  
Dark devastation lay in them, mingled with tears.  
“Where is it? Where is...”  
  
Tony swallowed hard and took his chair again.  
He never once looked back to where the Batman lowered his head and braced himself on the window frame.  
“I'm sorry, hun. The... the doctors haven't been able to safe her.”

The numb realization and Tony's statement about not being the father swirled through the haziness of her jumbled thoughts. It was too much, and the only thing escaping Pepper's throat was a miserable wail at the grievous loss. Tony Stark put his elbows up on the mattress, clasped her hand in between both of his and leaned his head against their intertwined fingers.

They both failed to notice how the dark knight soundlessly escaped into the night.

 


	32. Chapter 32

Tony did not leave his wife’s side until the next morning.

At some point, Pepper had fallen back into a medically-induced sleep, and the billionaire continued to hold and stroke her hand. His own fatigue eventually made him drift off as well, next to her on the mattress with his head on his arms. Noises erupting from the door eventually woke him. Tony's back felt stiff like it had been put through the mill, but he was careful not to let his groan wake Pepper up.

Wary he raised his head to look around when a whispered, female voice reached his ear.  
“Good morning, Sir. I’m here for the follow up check of the patient.”   
Still dazed, Tony only nodded and groggily stood up to make room for the short, Hispanic looking nurse.

She gave a timid smile before she went on changing the IV bag, and wrote down some stats of the monitors Pepper was attached to. “How is she?” Tony also whispered as he watched her still form. “Doing better, señor. Her blood levels have improved and her heart rate is lower.” He gave a huge sigh of relief and ran his hands through his hair.

The nurse cast him another soothing glance as she administered a fresh dose of what she informed him was a blood thinning agent into the back of Pepper’s hand. Her husband looked away on purpose. “I need to change the dressing. Would you mind waiting outside, Sir?” Tony blinked, surprised. “What? Oh, eh, sure. I will…” He glimpsed down at his rumpled appearance and pointed to the bathroom.  
  
“…think I’ll freshen up a little. That okay?”  
The nurse inclined her head.  
“Of course, I need ten minutes at most.”

Without any spare clothes Tony still made an effort to undress, do a quick all over wash and brush his teeth with a pre-packed toothbrush on the sink. An unshaven face stared back at him through the neon light above the mirror, which made the dark circles under his eyes even more prominent. “What'chu you lookin’ at.” He threw the disposable washcloth into the waste bin and turned on his heel.

As he exited the small chamber, the nurse was just about to pull the blankets high up around Pepper’s body.  
She saw him linger in the doorway and gave an approving nod.  
“All done.”

Tony sauntered nearer, eyes fastened on his wife’s peaceful looking face. After a quick glimpse at the nurse’s name tag he looked at her. “… Maria it is, right?” The woman in her forties nodded, solicitous. “Yes, señor.” Despite his non-peak condition the billionaire put up a smile for her. “Tony's fine.” Now Maria looked nothing short of bashful.

“I know who you are, Mister Stark. Your company holds great charity projects for the Cedars-Sinai.”  
His eyes softened as they flew to the woman on the bed.  
“Yeah, she always has everyone's best interests at heart.”

Tony sniffed and focused back on the nurse.  
“You're doing a great job, Maria. Did she wake up by any chance?”  
The woman sealed a white sterile bag with all used bandages and shook her head.

“No, but that’s not unusual. Medication is still quite strong. She needs some more sleep.”  
Maria then pointed to the corner of the room.  
“You look like you need some, too. I can have another bed brought in here.”

Despite his gloom, Tony’s face lit up ever so slightly.  
“That’d be great; just put everything on my tab, I’ll…”  
He made a circling motion with his hand.

“… I’ll take care of it.”

The nurse nodded in understanding.

***

Two hours later Tony had catnapped next to Pepper’s bedside, raided the vending machine down the aisle for several bags of Walker chips, Mars and Snickers bars, and drank enough Coke to keep him wired up for the rest of the day. When he slipped back into her room with his stomach growling from fast food overkill, Pepper was awake. Slowly her head turned towards him.

He gave the most relieved and sincere smile he could muster up, but only got a disheartened one in return. Tony was quick to sit next to her on the chair and began to stroke a slim arm underneath her gown. “How long have you known, Tony?” For a split second it looked like he was about to dodge her question. “Since 2010, actually.” Too baffled to form another question, Pepper stayed silent.

Tony gave a bittersweet smirk as his fingers began to trace some wrinkles of the bed sheet. “Ever since the old reactor, I knew I'd never be able to get you pregnant in this life.” Even as her tears fell in silence, all hopelessness and despair, he went on. Tony's monotone voice tore like a razor blade through Pepper's heart, but all she could do was listen. “Despite your wish for a family, I didn't have the heart to tell you the truth.”

The Californian inventor choked and rubbed his thumb over the wet trail on her cheek. “When fate decided to take matters from me, no matter how, I thought I could handle it.” Pepper turned her head away from him, not wanting to have him watch her emotional turmoil. “You knew all the time without telling me. All the time.” Miserable, Tony's head shot up.  
  
“One thing's never changed, and that's how much I love you with all of my heart.“  
He made a hesitant move to wrap his fingers around hers.  
"If you can forgive me my deceit, I can forgive yours in return.“

***  
Los Angeles, San Vicente Park, 11th  August 2013  
  


He kept on soaring through the nighttime skies of L.A. like a dark shadow, seen and heard by no one. His feet urged him to go on faster, higher, and further away from everything he had just witnessed. Still as stealthy and precise, he eventually came to rest upon the unpopulated observation platform, back at the fateful scene of crime. The Batman repressed the urge of panting as he observed the pitch-black forest.

There were no more traces; after Tony had called in the ambulance and followed it in his car, a police car soon after arrived on the scene and took in the three unconscious men and their getaway car. Stark would have to face giving a witness statement in a few days, but the dark knight knew no matter what, the prefabricated story would be airtight.  

He made his way back over to where the Tumbler awaited him, hidden beneath some camouflage netting higher up the trail. Once inside the sturdy vehicle, the Batman pulled off his cowl and threw it onto the passenger seat, right upon where the steel suitcase with the ransom he had retrieved lay. He did the same to his right glove and wiped his itching forehead.

It was then that Bruce Wayne allowed himself to let out a huge, shaky breath as he leaned back against the headrest and squeezed his eyes shut.

None of this was supposed to happen. He had done it again; had doomed the lives of people getting close to him. Had caused unnecessary pain. To Pepper of all people. With a shudder, Bruce pinched his eyes between thumb and index finger. The mental image of Rachel inside the exploding warehouse in Gotham penetrated his mind, and made him snap his eyes back open.

On instinct, he bent forward and pressed a key on the dash.

“Master Wayne?”  
“Alfred, are you in Gotham?”  
“Yes, Sir. In less than a week I will have Wayne Manor back to life.”

The butler paused as he picked up on the uncomfortable mood on the other line.  
“Are you okay, Master Wayne?”  
Bruce swallowed.

“Tonight we almost lost Pepper.”  
His voice held no hint of the dark, menacing growl but sounded small and defeated.  
“And she lost the baby.”

Pennyworth stayed quiet for a heartbeat.  
"Has… it proven to be true, Sir?”  
His question came out hesitant. The billionaire took a deep breath.

“Yes.”  
“I am very sorry, Master Wayne. Is there anything you need me to do?”  
“Have a jet ready. I’m coming home.”

“And when exactly would that be, Sir?”  
“There’s just one more thing for me to do here. I’ll… let you know.”  
“Very well, Sir.”

 


	33. Chapter 33

Cedars-Sinai, later that same day  
  


Maria Santoro came back one more time to check on Pepper around 6PM. She found Tony Stark sprawled out on his bed and fast asleep, with the TV remote on his belly. The nurse looked at the woman next to him who was awake but did not pay attention to the cartoon network channel that droned on in the background. Pepper Stark regarded her husband with sad affection before she acknowledged the nurse.

“He sleeps best with Tom & Jerry.”  
Maria smiled as she started to take Pepper’s blood pressure.  
“The señor has been very concerned.”

Pepper looked down onto the blood pressure cuff.  
“This is hard on him.”  
Maria waited for the final reading before she removed the cuff again.

“Of course it is, señora. But first of all we now need to take care of you.” The nurse pocketed the Sphygmomanometer. When she turned back around, she saw how Pepper struggled for composure. “It's alright, Mrs Stark, you have every right to be sad. And you should take every support you can get. It will get better with time.” The whispered words together with Maria’s soothing voice made Pepper nod.

“Thank you, I… I just feel overwhelmed at the moment.”

“Take it easy for the next few days. You will be able to leave hospital tomorrow morning, there are no complications after surgery. Make sure to get a lot of sleep at home.” With a sniff and a nod, Pepper brushed her hair behind her ear and laid back in the sheets. After Maria had left, she focused back on Tony and watched his chest rise and lower peacefully.

It would take some time for them to come to terms with everything, but that time was not there and then.

She closed her eyes.

***

Malibu, 12th  August 2013  
  


Tony Stark sat on the couch in the semi-darkness of his living room.

His fingers played with the glass ornament on the coke bottle he balanced on his thigh as he stared into the fireplace. Even though it was way past 11PM and there were several things for him to work on, he chose to stay put. Pepper was upstairs, hopefully fast asleep and recovering, and he did not want to disturb her by crawling in and tossing around. No, the inventor had already decided upon a night at the workshop.

There he would focus on establishing a new task force after S.H.I.E.L.D.’s downfall and everything that went along with it. Fury had already contacted him; trying to get him to be one of the keystones to creating a new-found, organization with trusted allies only. There were plans for an Avengers’ headquarter close to Stark Tower. Plans for establishing a private ownership without any governmental involvement.

To Tony, most of those plans were at the far end of his mind for time being. The only thing he wanted to focus on right now were the schematics of something to ensure peacekeeping activities for the civilization; most of all to prevent innocent people like Pepper from getting harmed by lowlifes like thugs and kidnappers whenever puny governmental police security fell short.

He knew he was just one man in a metal suit, but if he were to create something to ensure an overall protection...  
  
“My sensors are picking up on a distinctive signature outside the mansion, Sir.”  
Wary Tony raised his head as Jarvis interrupted his train of thoughts.  
“What signature?”

“A certain kind of faint, biogenetic variance.”  
The AI then paused as it re-calibrated the readouts.  
“Do you want me to have a suit ready?”

The inventor smirked with grim determination and stood up.  
"Nah, hold your fire. And keep it on the low, J, we don't wanna disturb Pepper.”  
He slipped the empty bottle on the couch table before he went for his patio.

Outside, the wind whipped against the palm branches in the dark, and Tony remained standing in the doorway. He squinted into the night at the silhouettes of recliners which were illuminated by the bluish light from the crescent-shaped pool. A slight silver shimmer on one of the many deckchairs got his attention and the billionaire went to check upon it. Tony narrowed his eyes at the familiar suitcase.

He bent down to fetch it and turned around to crane his neck towards the roof. “At least have the balls to tell it to my face that you're sorry, Wayne!” For a moment Tony thought about how his yelling might wake Pepper after all, but their master bedroom was further south and soundproof on top. A sliver of something high upon the roof fluttered, and Tony debated going for one of his suits after all.

“I made a mistake, why do you insist on reminding me?”  
The gruff voice resounded through the darkness.  
The other man strained to see against it but could only assume where the Batman was hiding in the shades.

“Cause you're doin' it again, dude, and that's just plain fucked up.”  
The dark knight remained silent, but Tony sensed he was still there.  
He took it as an invitation to rant on despite talking to nothing and no-one in particular.

“Did you honestly think this was gonna end happily? Or that it'll ease your conscience a little by bringing me the damn money back? Lemme tell you – I don't give a shit about the money, okay? My wife's just lost her child, and it doesn't even get a reaction out of you other than creeping around my veranda!” The Californian billionaire allowed a humorless laugh to follow his outburst.

He proceeded to walk back inside, mumbling something foul under his breath, and clenched his hand around the metal handle of the suitcase.

“Wait.”  
Stark haltered his steps but did not turn around.  
“There's no reason to bring disaster upon your lives any longer. It'll be for the best.”

Now Tony's laughter came out more of a snort.  
“I wouldn't be too sure bout that if I were you.”  
“What do you mean?”

From his place above the patio, the Batman saw him disappear inside before Tony stepped out on the terrace again, without suitcase. He walked towards the pool, hands shoved deep into the back pockets of his jeans. “A baby's something I'd never be able to give her, despite wanting to give her the world if she asked me to. And I could have lived with the consequences for the rest of my life if it meant for her to be happy. But...”

Then Tony swung around and stared up to where he assumed his nightly visitor to sit. “This is not about you and me, but about something that inevitably connects us. It's her.” He cocked his head and shrugged his shoulders. “A lot to have in common if you ask me. And too much to just throw away like that. She always believed in you - and she still does. Don't fuck this up by dropping off the radar once and for all.”

Taken aback, the dark knight remained silent. He had expected something else when he arrived at Stark mansion; anything but the altruism and selflessness he encountered. “I'm leaving for Gotham tomorrow at 1PM.” Bruce blinked behind the cowl and swallowed. “If she wants to see me, tell her that.” The smaller man eventually turned his back on him again.  
  
“I suppose it's better than nothing.”  
  
He then walked back to the French Window, got inside and closed the door behind him. Once Tony had picked up the forlorn suitcase, he nearly jumped when he noticed someone standing in the dim light of the open kitchen area. Pepper wore a dressing gown and her hair open as she stood bracing herself against the counter.

“Tony? Is everything okay?”  
He gave an emphatic nod.  
“Of course. Did I wake you? You should get back to bed, love, it's late.”

Not knowing what to do with the item in his hand, Tony placed the case in what he hoped was an inconspicuous gesture out of her view and sauntered towards her. Pepper poured herself a glass of water and regarded him intently. “He's been here.” Her voice was quiet but yet so firm it did not even sound like a question. Tony did not want to lie to her anymore and therefore just nodded, briefly.

Pepper mimicked his gesture and stared off into the distance behind the windows.

“To make sure you're doing better.”  
Tony reached out, clasped her waist and gently steered her back upstairs.  
“Anything else can wait.”

***  
Stark Aviation airfield / Los Angeles, 13th  August 2013  
  


She had wanted to see him one more time, despite everything.

Tony stood a few yards away, leaned against the door of his R8, and watched the two of them coming to terms with everything that happened. Pepper could not help but start to sob when the Gothamite hugged her without a word at the abandoned airfield. Even Bruce Wayne was not able to hide his pain; for their unborn, the innocent life lost forever.

“She might have had your eyes.”

Her voice shuddered, and Pepper forced herself to stop. Bruce gently clasped her shoulders as a gust of wind played with the bangs across his forehead. She looked up into his clean-shaven face and at his neat haircut. “And most of all your strong spirit.” He kissed her forehead one last time as she sniffed and held a finger underneath her eye to stop the mascara from running.

“You are strong, Pepper – and you will continue to be, for Tony and for yourself.”  
She exhaled one final time before her composure was back in place and she nodded.  
“And what will you be, Bruce?”

His hazel eyes softened a little as he straightened up and looked over to where the other man watched them like a hawk.  
He nodded at Tony before he focused back on Pepper with an honest, rare smile.  
“I'll always be around if you need me.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This kind of does have 'THE END' written all over... or doesn't it?
> 
>    
> (maybe not)


	34. Chapter 34

Malibu, 13th  August 2013

 

_Last night a shocking revelation hit the public: It seems that Virginia 'Pepper' Stark, wife of the billionaire-turned-superhero Tony Stark, recently suffered a miscarriage. The couple was said to expect their first child by the end of the year. Neither of the two have been seen or spoken in public ever since, but they did release an official statement via their publicist from Stark Industries:_

_'We are deeply at shock and overwhelmed by the sudden loss. With regards to our personal lives, we ask for privacy both from public and media. We also kindly ask everybody to refrain from sending out letters of sympathy and expressions of condolences in these hard times.'_

_What caused the sudden miscarriage is fairly uncertain up to this point. Fact is that Virginia Stark, better known as the tough-as-nails personal assistant to the once wayward, genius party animal, is turning 39 next month. Could her age have been a factor in..._

"...mute.“  
  
Tony's quiet command caused Jarvis to obey instantly. Pepper lay curled up underneath a blanket on the couch and continued to stare at the silent screen. On the table in front were handkerchiefs, a clinical thermometer, painkillers, water and a mug of cold tea. "Have you taken the temperature yet?“ With care, he eased himself on the armrest of the sofa and ran a gentle hand over her tousled hair.

Pepper just shook her head once but did not look up. He reached out and took one box of the prescription drugs into his hand to check the recommended dosage. She had been experiencing flu-like symptoms, due to a slight infection after the dilation and curettage, and was given antibiotics and painkillers with dihydrocodeine. They resulted in making her feel sick, despite lessening the cramps.

"The doctor said you can take up to three of these if you're in a lot of pain.“  
  
Instead of a reply, she pulled the blanket tighter around her frame. Tony followed her gaze towards the screen where the muted Entertainment Tonight just showed some older pictures of them holding hands at a gala, and some candid pictures of them at the beach.

"Why do you torture yourself like this, Pep?“  
When she eventually answered him, her voice was small and hoarse.  
"Just leave me alone, Tony. Please.“

He gave an audible sigh, threw the box back on the table and stood up. “I'll be down in the shop, 'kay? Call if you need m... anything.” If Pepper had turned around, she might have seen the resigned slouch in her husband’s posture as he shuffled over to disappear down the stairs with one last glance back. The volume of the television went back up before he had even entered his workshop.

“Jarvis?”  
“Yes, Sir?”  
“Go have a suit ready, don't care which.”

***

No fifteen minutes later, Tony was soaring high above the clouds. He had kept a channel open for Pepper to reach him whenever she felt the need to. So far, after fifty minutes in the air, across California and the Pacific Ocean, she had not. Part of him felt bad for flying the coop, but he himself hurt so much and did not want to burden her with his own tormented feelings.  
  
“Engage thrusters. Aim for stratospheric altitude.”  
  
The darkness of the outer space comforted him a little as Tony gazed down to where the earth seemed so small. His eyes flickered to the control panels to the top left of his HUD, but Jarvis remained quiet and all systems continued to blink green. Tony then did a few smooth loops, dives and barrel rolls until his forehead glistened with sweat and his eyes burned with unshed tears.

Thirty miles above the earth, he finally allowed them to fall as he sobbed out loud behind his HUD for nobody to hear or see, apart from his AI.

Tony cried for almost losing Pepper, for the mental images of seeing her almost bleed to death at his feet which would haunt him for the rest of his days. Cried for losing the baby who was never his own flesh and blood, but whom he would have loved as if it were. Cried for the abyss falsehood had created between him and her, and for not knowing how to fix all of it with just two hands and a broken heart.

“Sir?”  
Tony sniveled instead of a reply.  
With no way of wiping at his face, he felt the tears run down his neck and soak the collar of his undersuit.

“Sir, Mrs Stark is trying to reach you on secured line one.”  
He cleared his throat multiple times until he accepted the connection.  
“Okay.”

“Tony?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Where are you?”

“Out. In... the suit.”  
For a moment, Pepper was silent on the other end.  
Tony was glad they did not have visual; the uncommon hitch in his voice was bad enough.

“Do you... do you need something?”  
After his croaked out question, he heard her sigh.  
“I need... you. Whenever you're ready.”

Tony closed his eyes and felt his lashes stick together with moisture.

“Be with you in ten.”  
“Okay. I'm here.”  
“Okay.”

He touched down in his workshop twelve minutes later. Much to his surprise, Pepper was there. She sat bolt-upright on the same place on the new couch; just like when she waited for him to come back from his missions. Tony felt a pang of guilt at how fragile and pale she still looked. When his faceplate came up, he turned around to hide from her scrutiny and rubbed over his face.

“You shouldn't walk so much all alone yet.”  
His tone was concerned rather than accusing, and she gave a sad, little smile.  
“DUM-E helped me over from the elevator to the couch.”

Pepper looked at his back.  
“Tony.”  
He cast her a look over his shoulder as he stepped out of the jet-pack boots.

By the sheer sound of her compassionate voice, a shudder ran through his body, and he fought for self-control once more.  
“Come here to me, please.”  
With his head hung low, Tony wiped his eyes with his arm and trotted to where she held out her hand for him to grasp.

Careful not to jostle her, he plopped down in front of her feet, propped his elbows up on the couch and buried his head in his hands. “I know I should be strong for you, Pep. I just…” His voice faded out, not knowing what to say, and she looked down at his head. Her fingers slowly moved closer, until they touched his hair. It was damp and curled in his neck.

“I should have been strong, too. Way back then. For you – and for us.”  
Weary he lifted his head and looked at her. She managed to give him a faint smile.  
“But we're only human, and it’s... it's awful to be weak sometimes.”

Pepper blinked against her overwhelming emotions but looked him right in the eye.  
“I guess everything turned out the way it was supposed to. How hard that might be.”  
Tony lowered his head back into her lap.

“Do you still... love him?”  
His voice was muffled and quiet. Pepper shivered at the sound.  
“I love you enough to never question it again.”

Tony pushed himself up on the rim of the couch. He scooted nearer until he was able to wrap his arms around her with care. Pepper rested her head in the crook of his neck and felt him interlink his fingers with hers. They sat there for at least half an hour and wept together in silence before he eventually helped her up and gently guided her upstairs into their bedroom to rest.

 


	35. Chapter 35

Malibu, 22nd  August 2013  


Twelve days after the fatal incident, Pepper still stayed at home for the most part.

Her physical wounds had healed well, and even though she got clearance from Doctor Thomas to get back into things, she was hesitant to show herself in public. After the news coverage on her miscarriage, and an irate Tony warding off nosy paparazzi in his Iron Man suit as they tried to get pictures of her at Stark Mansion, Pepper shied away from any kind of exposure.

“Honey?”

She looked up from where she sat upright within their bed and read a book. Tony strolled out of the dressing room, his hands busy tying the Half Windsor knot of his burgundy-silver striped silken Calvin Klein tie. He wore it with a simple black suit and a white shirt and frowned upon seeing her still in her pajamas.

“You need to get dressed, most of the invitees are already on their way. It’s an important day - it’s been your project, and respectively your success. You need to go and reap it.” He threw her a magnificent smile that unfortunately was lost to her as Pepper stared back down at her book and soundly turned another page.

“I’m not attending.”   
Tony’s face fell. He tugged at the knot and stepped in front of the mirror of the built-in closets.  
Once more his eyes searched for her through the mirror glass.

"You can’t leave me alone at something big like today, of all times! See, especially now I need all of my strength and my concentration to seal this deal. And I need you, Pepper – I need your help, your advice. I’ve seen what you’re able to do with the board. Without you, we would've never have gotten…” When her eyes snapped up and fixated him, they bore a sharp glint of resentment.

“You’re always talking about mergers and dealings. You’ve gotten so accustomed to seeing the tough CFO in me, Tony, but apparently not the woman who just lost her child!” He clenched his jaw and hung his head low for a moment, saying nothing. Then Tony shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants and cast her a hooded, sideways glance.

“No, I haven't. But I've got to remind you of the things _you_ used to remind _me_ of all the time – things which are important to our company; _our future_.” It did not escape her how he stressed the last two words. She stared down at the blanket. Jarvis then interrupted them with a quick pop-up hologram on the tinted window panes. Annoyed, Tony looked up. ”What is it?”

“Sir, please keep in mind that the reception before the presentation is starting in less than an hour. Current traffic on Highway 1…”

“Cut it short, J, I know.”  
The billionaire swung around and looked at his wife, insistent.  
“Pepper, you really need to get ready now.”

She snapped her book shut with more force than necessary.  
“Don’t count on me. I’m not up to dealing with such festivities today.”  
In a quick move, Tony pulled his hands free and threw his arms up in the air.

“That's completely out of the question! You _know_ what this event means for us!”  
With a vacant stare Pepper looked out onto the ocean.  
“To me, it doesn't mean anything.”

Aghast he mustered her for a very long, silent moment. Eventually Tony gave an audible sigh and cleared his throat. “You're my wife, Pep, and I love you - but you're also a very large part of this company, please don't forget that. And now excuse me, I gotta go.” Without looking at him Pepper's fingers clawed around the book cover. “Godspeed, Tony.”  
  
The door of the bedroom closed soundlessly behind him.

Pepper did not know how many minutes ticked away as she continued to sit on the bed, propped up against the headboard. A part of her felt so empty all of a sudden, she did not know whether she was still real or not. After a while, a beep interrupted her distorted musings. A message on her mobile on the nightstand flashed up and continued to blink on until Pepper reached over and made a grab for it.

_‘I love you enough to never question your decisions.’_

With a constricted throat, she saved it to her favorite texts from him, threw the book aside with one resolute movement, and brushed the blanket back. Pepper then swung her legs over the rim of the mattress, ran her hands through her hair and stood up.

***

Stark Industries’ Headquarters, 22nd  August 2013  
  
  
“Mister Stark – Mister Stark, over here! A few words, please?“  
  
All winsome, Tony turned around and mustered up a smile for the handful of reporters. With an apologetic tap to his watch and a shrug of his shoulders he brushed past them and escaped into the grand foyer. There, Kenjiro Fujikawa, CEO and founder of Fujikawa Industries in Tokyo, approached him right after he had pocketed his shades.

“Tony-san, long time no see. How are you on this most exiting day?”  
The elder Japanese man with white hair gave a broad smile and stuck out his hand.  
He was a few inches shorter than Tony and also dressed in an expensive, black business suit.

„Konnichiwa, Kenjiro. Ogenki desu ka?”  
Fujikawa gave a litte bow.  
„Hai, genki desu. Arigato.“

After the exchange of formalities they continued to talk in English about  the merger agreement between Stark Industries and Vuzix. The public company specialized in augmented reality products had been on the market long since 1997. Tony had seen to implement the deal exclusively with Stark Fujikawa, seeing that the Stark HUD 2020 was a huge success on the Asian market.

The idea behind the fusion stemmed from Pepper, who had always been fond of their Japanese subsidiary, loved the country, and spoke the language much more fluent than him. At his sudden train of thought, Tony sighed and accepted a glass of water from a nearby waiter. A professional smile was back on his face as another round of Vuzix managers and lawyers arrived on the scene.

His own PR team made introductions and escorted them to their respective seats inside the large auditorium on the second floor. Artie Pithins, director of Public Relations and a tall man with brown hair and a longish face, stepped up to Tony and waited in respectful distance until he was acknowledged. Tired, the billionaire morphed his face into a more enthusiastic facade and nodded at him.

“Artie, hey. How’s it going? The delegation’s fully assembled?”  
With a dignified stance, Pithins clasped his fingers around the clipboard and stole some glances around before he eyed his employer.  
"Yes, Sir. But Mrs Stark is not present yet, it seems.”

Tony scrunched up his face as he took another sip of his seltzer.  
“Mrs Stark's most probably not going to attend the reception.”  
Pithins first looked dumbfounded, then uncomfortable, and pondered his response.

The look on Tony’s countenance eventually prompted him to swallow and incline his head.  
“Is there anything else you need me to do at the moment, Mister Stark?”  
“Nah, thanks. We’ll start in five, just as planned.”

He adjusted his tie and made his way up on stage, to where the speaker's podium awaited him in the spotlight, and let his eyes wander around the semi-darkness of the auditorium. With standing room only, the low hum of muffled conversation filled the air. Behind him, Tony then heard Kenjiro Fujikawa exclaim out loud.

"Pepper-san, finally! It's very good to see you today!"  
  
Almost on the last couple of steps, Tony swung around and stared. Stared at his wife, who stood there in the doorway and looked magnificent in a tight gray tweed dress and a pair of black stilettos. She had put her hair up into a sleek ponytail, wore decent makeup, and no jewelry apart from her wedding band. After she had met Fujikawa with a warm response, her eyes found those of her husband.

When Pepper turned around, Tony caught sight of Happy Hogan standing in the back and taking a small purse from her. The former bodyguard nodded barely noticeable at his boss, and Tony went back to offer her his arm to gallantly escort her upstairs. At first contact he caught a whiff of the fragrance she had applied, and drank in deep. It was his favorite perfume.

"God, you're gorgeous.“  
Tony licked his lips as his whispered admission made her smile in return.  
For a split second, Pepper tightened her grip around his bicep.  
  
“Your love has that effect on me.“  
He clasped his hand around hers and raised it to his mouth for a quick kiss.  
“Ready to blow them away, baby?“

The Starks shared a look full of mutual trust and determination as they came to stand side by side at the lectern and glanced across the rows of expectant faces. Pepper gripped the edge of the podium and put up a smile. “Minasan konnichiwa. Youkoso irasshai mashita atto Stark Industries.“ The Japanese delegation of Fujikawa Industries nodded their thanks, and Pepper also inclined her head.

She then cleared her throat and repeated her words in English for the rest of the invitees.

“Vuzix has been a leading supplier of video eye-wear products in the consumer, commercial and entertainment markets since the late nineties. It holds many patents and patents pending, as well as numerous IP licenses in the video eye-wear field. Therefore,” Pepper glanced at her husband. “it only seemed reasonable to combine creativity and potentials by creating new synergy effects. We are proud to present the joint-venture program for the Stark Fujikawa/Vuzix production line.“

As the lights dimmed down, favorable applause resounded through the hall, and the first of three videos for the new-found image campaign rolled on a big screen behind them. Unnoticed from everybody else in the hall, Tony's fingers felt for those of his wife underneath the podium.

***

After the presentation, sushi got served. SI’s event department had seen to transform one of the near twenty different dining rooms on the headquarters’ premises into an Asian themed, large round table with a wide selection of at least fifty different Sushi variations. Saki was available, but Tony and Pepper both resorted to water. “Artie's really spreading on thick with Kenjiro today.”  
  
After looking up and following Pepper's line of vision, Tony leaned sideways and hid an amused smirk behind his chopsticks.  
“Hopeless though. Senpai's never gonna notice him.”  
His wife covered up her snort with a polite cough.

“You clearly spend too much time on those anime shows, Mister Stark.” His response was a toothy grin and a discreet pat on her thigh under the table. Just then, Kenjiro Fujikawa turned towards them. He toasted their cups with his before he drank. “The presentation went well, I’m glad. Any plans for you to come visit Japan in return? The new manufacturing line is complete since July. You should come and look.”

Tony shared a look with his wife.  
“Actually, Kenjiro, I was just about to discuss future travel plans with the missus, especially around this time of the year.”  
He openly moved to take her left hand on the table. Fujikawa smiled from ear to ear.

“Still very much in love, yes, that's good. That's good to see, Tony-san and Pepper-san.”  
  
With an insistent nod, the billionaire intertwined her fingers with his. "How could I not? She's an unbelievable smart woman, with the brains of a Rolls Royce. And she will be Mrs Stark for the rest of her days if I have anything to say about it.“ Tony glanced down and pointedly ran his thumb over the platinum band of his finger. “My wedding ring means everything to me.”

Pepper had to swallow against the lump in her throat.  
As she blinked back a tingling sensation in her eyes, her fingers gripped his sturdy ones.  
“And I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me if the Japanese is off - I tried, I really did! Feel free to correct me, if anything! 
> 
> "Konnichiwa, Kenjiro. Ogenki desu ka?” - "Hello, Kenjiro. How are you?"  
> "Hai, genki desu. Arigato.“ - "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."  
> “Minasan konnichiwa. Youkoso irasshai mashita atto Stark Industries.“ - "Hello everyone. Welcome to Stark Industries."
> 
> Oh, and I don't think Vuzix would mind being connected to Stark Industries, but yeah, welcome to reality. On another note, I found the viral Stark HUD 2020 ad (for an IM2 promotion back in 2010) on YouTube quite hilarious.
> 
> Parts of Tony's quote about being married are by RDJ. This man, I swear... *dreamy sigh*


	36. Chapter 36

Japan / southern island of Kyushu, 25th  August 2013  
  
  
“Mrs Stark, Mister Stark, we have just been cleared to land at the Kumamoto airport. Please make sure one last time that your seat belts are securely fastened. It is now 2PM and 71 degrees Fahrenheit. A limousine shuttle is waiting for you to take you to your destination. ETA at Senomoto Highlands is at 3:10PM. Have a nice stay.”  

Pepper stirred as the captain’s announcement resounded through the cabin, and stretched in her seat. With eyes still closed, she felt Tony’s fingers stroke over her cheek. “Hey sleeping beauty, we’re almost there.” She blinked and focused on Tony sitting across from her. He wore some designer sweatpants in dark gray, a cozy hoodie with a colorful t-shirt underneath, and pair of reading glasses upon his nose.

Nobody apart from her and the closest circle of inner confidants knew that Tony's fondness for bold and expensive shades usually concealed the fact that he was slightly hyperopic. “Didn’t you sleep?” Her voice was a little rough from being unused, and she cleared her throat. He slipped the magazine he had on his lap next to him on the seat and smirked.  
  
“A little. But you’re just too cute when you’re asleep.” The small harrumph she gave was a loving one as Pepper sat up to fasten her seat belt. Her eyes flew out of the window to her left. They softened as she took in the foreign surroundings all the way down. With a wistful curl of the lip she looked at Tony again. “It's been so long since I've been here.”

The couple had decided to spent their second wedding anniversary overseas.

They even cancelled out their annual invitation to Ronald Perelman's legendary Hamptons Summer Party on Long Island, gave away their $80000 table reservation to a charity project, and hailed a Stark jet for Japan instead. With the help of Jarvis, Tony had organized a stay at one of the most renowned Hoshino Kai Resorts south of Tokyo.

As soon as they had arrived at the lush resort secluded in the Senomoto Highlands, Pepper followed the page boy into their villa suite. The first thing she did after the concierge left was to pull the glass doors to the patio open and step out onto the veranda. There, she inhaled. Fresh forest air invaded her nostrils, and she closed her eyes to focus solely on the sounds of nature.

Peace at last.

After a few moments, she realized Tony still had not followed her all the way up from reception, and Pepper took the time to inspect the surrounding amenities from outside the room. Their suite was equipped with a private outdoor bath filled with water drawn directly from the hot spring source on the patio, had an indoor Jacuzzi, and a spacious living room.

The open bedroom featured two twin size beds, and Pepper could not help but wonder if Tony had seen to that on purpose. After her return from hospital, he had kept a significant distance towards her. Doctor Thomas said most couples waited at least two weeks before getting intimate again after a miscarriage, but at the same time told her to follow her own gut feeling.

The red-haired woman glanced into the green curtain of trees around their suite. The bleeding had stopped shortly after the Vuzix event, and she felt far less faint and weak with every new day. Tony and her still had their fair share of amicable closeness during the day, but at night, it almost seemed as if he was evading her.

Pepper brushed her fingers against the weather-roughened balustrade and went inside.

She was just in time to see her billionaire enter the suite and drop his carry-on luggage next to the door. Their eyes met, and he blew out his cheeks with a lopsided smirk. “Next time I let you handle the details in Japanese. I'm not _entirely_ sure, but I think I just told the general manager something about how lovely his earrings are.”

That made her laugh. She crossed the distance to where he stood and interlinked her arms behind his neck. “If we don’t get any room service for the rest of the stay we’ll know who’s to blame.” His left eyebrow twitched in amusement as he pursed his lips. “I might go and make amends later - when he’s wearing appropriate heels to go with it.”

Pepper leaned in and captured his mouth in a soft kiss.  
“You weirdo. How about we unpack now and explore the grounds? As long as the weather’s steady.”  
No twenty minutes later, they were decked out in comfortable trekking gear.

Together they hiked their way up through the Senomoto Highlands. From where they left the paved paths and went on some gravel tracks, they soon were able to overlook the five peaks of Mount Aso and the prairie over the crater’s outer rim. Around 5PM, and a little out of breath, Tony chugged the rest of his water before he stashed the bottle in his bag.

“Not bad.”  
He wiped his damp forehead and watched his wife bend down and refasten her laces.  
“You okay?”

Pepper straightened her back and nodded at him, her own bottle clasped between her lips. When she, too, had quenched her thirst and stowed the item in her backpack, Tony had seen to spreading out a small picnic rug to their feet. With a small grunt and a pop of his joints, he lowered himself on the ground and patted the empty space next to him.

After she had sat down and scooted over to sit between his legs, they both stared out to where the sun sat like a big, glowing ball of fire and cast warmth over the mountain tops. Pepper pulled her legs close to her body and felt Tony reach out to encircle her with his arms. His chin found its way onto her right shoulder soon after.  

“It's been a rough year.”  
His breath was warm on her cheek.  
“Yes.”

“The roughest there ever was."  
Pepper blinked and nodded twice, slowly, against him.  
“And then, there's hope.”

He held her tighter for a long, silent moment.  
“Yes, while there's life...”  
Then Tony turned to look at her profile.

“Marry me.”  
His blunt statement caused her to blurt out a laugh as she returned his sideways glance.  
“I already did if I remember correctly. Should I be worried that _you_ don't?”

White teeth gleamed back at her. Like a cat Tony then rubbed his cheek against hers.  
“Just you and me this time. Something traditionally Japanese, but without the official hassle.”  
His wife felt the slight stubble from his beard on her skin.

“You know what they say about couples doing the vow renewal. Give them another year.”  
The billionaire gave a very inappropriate sounding noise with his mouth.  
“Saying yes a second time won't jinx the future. Not ours. Not in a place like this. Fall seven times and stand up eight – that's what they say.”

Pepper glimpsed down and plucked a blade of grass. Behind her, Tony shifted and shuffled until he was able to brush off his cargo pants. He then hunkered down on one knee in front of her, a mixture of amusement and seriousness on his face, and grasped her hand.

“So... would you do it again? Do the honors and don a kimono for me?”  
Her eyes got lost within his as Tony seductively bit his bottom lip.  
“In a heartbeat.”

After pressing a firm kiss on the back of her hand he rose with a sigh of relief.  
“Thank goodness. Any longer and my kneecap probably would've given out.”  
The redhead allowed him to pull her upright as well and refolded the blanket.

“We need to get back – it's going to be dark soon.”

 


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some not too graphic luvin' in this chapter.

Kai Aso resort, August 26th  2013

 

Most of their second day was spent on getting to know if their spontaneous idea was practical enough to organize on such short notice. Thanks to the hospitality of the hotel's staff, they were able to give most of the planning into capable hands. With nothing to do but to relax, they tested out their private outdoor tub filled by the hot springs of Mount Aso, a caldera volcano. At a temperature of 105 degrees, the cloudy water did wonders for their bodies.

Grinning like a little kid, Tony leaned his head back against the wooden frame. “Room with a view, eh?” Pepper followed his glance and also overlooked the forest in front of them. “So simple, yet so beautiful.” She mimicked his position and scooted nearer until their thighs touched. “Are you feeling well?” Her question seemed to surprise him. Tony turned his head to look at her.  
  
“Why, sure. Aren't you? Too warm for you?”  
His wife shushed his train of thoughts with her fingers running up his leg.  
“I'm okay. The water is fine. I just recently feel you're so... tense.”  
  
Her little pinch into his thigh all but made him jump.  
Tony chuckled to cover up and ever so slightly shifted underwater.  
“Hiking up a significant amount of mountains will do that to a guy.”

“Says the man who lasts out 72 hours in an iron suit.”  
Pepper's tone was teasing but she kept her hand in its place. Tony snorted.  
“Exactly. It's not the activity, sweetheart, it's the mileage.”

He made a point in scratching a spot on his knee below his bathing trunks, and removed her hand on his thigh at the same time. Instead, Tony pressed a kiss onto her wet fingertips and began to stand up. “Any longer in here and I'm turning into a prune.” Pepper knew him too well to not know evasive maneuvers when she saw them.

***

It was a quiet, second evening.

Birds were singing softly in the trees, and the course of the stream gurgled beneath their suite. The calming sounds resounded through the open patio door into the spacious apartment. From her cozy lookout on the terrace, Pepper watched her husband practice his daily set of Wing-Chun sequences in the nearby woods over the rim of her book.

She had been browsing a coffee-table issue before she got sidetracked. Tony was bare-chested and wearing a pair of black sweatpants. His ARC gleamed along in the distance during the sequences he kept on exercising. His motions were fast-paced, sometimes repetitive, but always fluid and in full concentration mode. It mesmerized Pepper, the longer she sat and followed his movements.

In the faint evening sun, Tony's skin glistened with sweat as he went for his makeshift wooden dummy again and again. Pepper chewed on the inside of her cheek upon seeing the muscles in his back and arms move. Just then, he stopped, wiped an arm across his forehead, and bent over to fetch a bottle of water from the ground. Years of being together made him turn his head towards the patio just then.

Their eyes met through the sparse undergrowth dividing them. Without breaking the gaze, Tony raised the bottle to his lips and drank. Pepper unconsciously swallowed. Too soon, the moment passed, and Tony threw the empty bottle aside. It gave her enough time to pick up her book again and pretend to be reading while she tried to calm her racing thoughts.

He kept on training for ten more minutes until he called it a day. Tony picked his strewn belongings from the forest floor and made his way back over to the patio. When his feet creaked on the wooden steps of the veranda, Pepper's eyes followed him inside. She saw him take off his pants and closed the book in her lap. Pepper then rose and followed him inside just as Tony dipped down into the Jacuzzi with a groan.

After he sat with eyes closed for the longest time, Tony noticed her closing the patio door and drawing the curtains shut. Pepper switched on some light cubes on the floor, bathing the whole room in warm, decent light. The billionaire blinked up at her when she came to stand in front of him, and gulped as he watched her unfasten the belt of her bathrobe. The satin fabric slid down to the floor with a soft sizzle.

When Pepper stood before him with nothing on, he breathed in hard.  
“Mind if I join you?”  
A stunned but fairly quick shake of the head was his answer.

Torn between wanting to ogle her and trying to be steadfast, Tony did the first thing on his mind and dove under. Hair dripping wet, he reappeared seconds later, to find Pepper sitting next to him. “I don't want us to sleep in separate beds again tonight.” Her breath was warm on his ear, and Tony closed his eyes for a moment. “At your own risk then. I have lousy impulse control when it comes to you.”  
  
She nuzzled his earlobe. “Who told you I wanted you to control yourself?” Even as she spoke, one of her hands dipped lower and felt how his body reacted to her. Hesitation was palpable on Tony's face. “I don’t want to hurt you... in any way.” Her hand came up again to palm his cheek. “I know you won't.” Before he could argue further, Pepper sealed his mouth with hers.

With gentle persuasion, her tongue found a way to slip between his closed lips. Tony sighed into her mouth. His hands went around her backside and unconsciously pulled her nearer, until they were united. At the first intimate contact in weeks, both of them gave a grunt of pleasure. “Think I...” Tony's eyes were dark and glazed as they looked up into hers. “... won't last long, maybe...”

She bent down, ran her palms across his chest to frame his face in between her hands. “Just relax, Tony. Just let go.” At each word, Pepper ground her pelvis deeper into his and watched his eyes flutter shut. When she pushed him over the edge, he fell with her name on his lips.

***

Aso shrine, August 27th  2013

  
Their drive from the Hoshino resort to the so-called Aso shrine took them thirty minutes by car. After some toing and froing, Tony's vivid imagination and Pepper's reasoning had let them decide upon a tradeoff. They would attend a not legally recognized renewal of their marriage vows, which still incorporated some traditional Shinto rituals.

Pepper wore a plain satin dress, slightly inspired by the traditional shiro, a white kimono for the ceremony. Her hair was in a bun, with bold white flowers attached to it. She had refrained from wearing the traditional headdress, wig, and heavy white make-up, though. Tony himself was all spiffed up in a black male kimono with gray-striped pants and black socks.

They had taken their fair share in marveling and giggling at their respective outfits in private before they attended the first part of the procession, called the sanshin. Under the soft hum of ritual music, they were led to the shrine to meet up with an officiant who functioned as their Master of Ceremonies. He sought the blessing and protection of the kami to the couple. 

The original Shinto ceremony consisted of a ritual which involved Sake drinking to ‘seal’ the marriage, but the couple asked for green tea instead. Three cups of differing size from small to large were exchanged to represent the formed bond between the groom and the bride. The Master of Ceremonies then addressed Tony who stood next to his wife before him.

“Shinro Tony Stark, speak after me: This woman, I marry. No matter what the health situation is I will love this person. Respect this person. Console this person. Help this person. Until death. Protecting fidelity. I swear.” Brown eyes fastened on blue as Tony repeated each word. “Hai, chikaimasu.” Pepper smiled as the final words left her husband’s mouth in Japanese.

She also repeated the vow and breathed out her answer in a soft tune.  
“Hai, chikaimasu.”  
Only very close friends should learn of their unique second wedding anniversary later.

The Starks stayed in Japan to to sort out their loss, both to public and themselves for the upcoming weeks. Not only did they visit the latest manufacturing line from Stark Fujikawa and praised Kenjiro Fujikawa for his company's stellar efforts, but they also led a couple of quite serious, adult conversations about the joint-venture project with Wayne Enterprises. Collaboration plans lay idle since the fateful events of the past year.

While it secretly tugged at Tony's heart for having to withstand the close proximity of Pepper and Bruce Wayne in the foreseeable future, he decided to see reason. Stark Industries might not need Wayne Enterprises, and vice versa, but the three people who were carrying the company's names needed to try to regain mutual trust in each other once again.

For the sake of themselves, and for the benefit of their future.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Hai, chikaimasu.” - "I do." 
> 
> All info on the aforementioned wedding ritual (albeit shortened for this fic) from various sources on the internet. All descriptions meant in the most-respectful way. In case of grave mistakes, feel free to let me know!


	38. Chapter 38

Los Angeles, 16th  September 2013  
  
  
Bruce Wayne sauntered along the vast floors of the vacant wing of the building, brushing two fingers alongside dust-covered tabletops. Behind him, murmurs of a low conversation between Lucius Fox, a representative of WE’s legal department, and two real-estate agents were heard. Footsteps then approached him.

The Gothamite turned away from the large glass front of the 17-story Executive Tower on Olympic Boulevard and threw his CEO a knowing glance. Fox raised an eyebrow and clasped his hands behind his back. “Well, Mister Wayne, what do you think?” Bruce shrugged a little, put up a classic ‘bored billionaire’ face, and shoved a hand into his pocket.

From the corner of his eyes, he noticed how the real-estate agents mustered him in poorly disguised tension. An indecisive sound escaped the back of his throat. “Hmm, feels a bit, oh, I don’t know…” At the ever so subtle gesture of rubbing his fingers together to ward off the dust, one of the real estate agents adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat while fingering his suitcase.

“… cramped.”  
  
His hazel eyes focused on the man next to him. Fox responded with a sly smile and turned to the two agents. “What Mister Wayne is saying is that we are looking for something more... flexible when it comes to the floor area. Respectively more space.” One of them cleared his throat again. “What we've got here is 4,246 square feet, of which 2,251 are contiguous. The other...”  
  
At that, Bruce raised a hand like a polite student, to which the broker stopped. “How much building size in total are we looking at?” Baffled, the agent stared at him even as his partner began to browse the exposé. “252,465 square feet, Mister Wayne.“ With a satisfied nod, Bruce then cast Fox an innocent look. “Now that's more like it, wouldn't you agree, Lucius?”  
  
Fox ignored the open-mouthed real-estate agents to address his silent, legal adviser. “Please inform senior financial vice president Miss Wells about the necessary steps.” Then the black man turned to the still stupefied brokers and extended his hand. “Upon Mister Wayne's wish, we'll take it.” One of the agents found his tongue as he took the proffered hand.

“Take... take what?”  
With mischief in his eyes, Lucius Fox watched Bruce Wayne walk away, over to the window front.  
“The whole Executive Tower, of course.”

The agitated real-estate agents began to argue with the meanwhile not so silent WE legal adviser about existing regulations and current tenancies- Fox kept his poker-face and dismissed the little quarrel to join the billionaire at the panorama front. “I believe the Wayne Research Institute has just found its location.” With a smug expression, Bruce regarded the two exterior, 25-foot cascading waterfalls.  
  
“Now let the games begin.”

***

Malibu, 27th  September 2013  
  
  
Since Pepper’s birthday fell on a Friday, Tony had convinced his wife to have a lavish breakfast together at the mansion. He had made concessions and promised to let her work from home later on. They were just sitting outside on the terrace, comfortably sated on croissants, fruit and granola, when the doorbell rang. Pepper looked up at her husband from the newspaper.  
  
“I thought we agreed on no more surprises for the day?” Her tone was half teasing, half chiding, and made him put the little nano ball aside. “Aw, come on – the Lear was no real surprise anymore after Ralph called in twice to make sure the leather covers were the right kind of gray. Still bummed at him for that.”

The sleek midsize liner Tony had purchased was a Learjet 85 with a capacity of eight passengers, luxurious interior furnishing that featured a silvery-blue color theme. The vessel also had the name 'Virginia’ emblazoned in calligraphic letters on the hull. Pepper had not yet seen it other than on pictures yet, and nearly tore her husband’s head off for spending twenty million dollar on a private airplane.

Tony Stark had simply grinned from one ear to the other, clasped her shoulders, and kissed the objections off her face.  
“Additional depreciation, my love. Hold ya fire, Mrs CFO, it’s completely accounted for.”

Out on the terrace, Tony then rocked his chair backwards and craned his neck to glimpse inside; a futile task since the main entrance was out of his sight. “Who is it, Jarvis?” “A gentleman from FedEx, Sir. I do believe he requires a signature for his delivery.” Pepper’s eyebrow rose behind her designer specs as Tony rose and went inside.  
  
He brushed off some bread crumbs from his t-shirt and threw her another glance mid-stride.  
“Be right back. Maybe it’s the ownership certificate to your new Eduard Gray catamaran.”  
Her indignant shout echoed after him, and Tony pulled the door open with a grin.

Soon enough he returned to the patio with a small brown envelope in his hands. With a curious glance at the header, he handed it to her. Puzzled, Pepper took it from him, even as Tony continued to look at her with an expectant glimmer in his eyes. She tore off the lid of the envelope with care. Inside was a simple, yet elegant card held in black and white.

As soon as she opened it, the handwriting gave the sender away.  
“Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”  
As Pepper stared at the neat handwritten signature, Tony gave a non-committal snort.

“That’s deep.”  
It got him a reprimanding stare in return, before she put the envelope aside.  
“That’s a very nice and thoughtful gesture.”

She then proceeded to take her cup of coffee and the card with her, and rose. “I’ll be upstairs in the office for the telcon at 12PM. I’ll go through the facts with you later on, after I got to know more about these latest Roxxon rumors.” With a final peck to his lips she left and went inside. Tony's glance followed her slender, bare legs in the cream-colored short skirt until she was out of sight.

He snatched the envelope from the table and twisted it in his hands. After he had squinted at it for the longest time, Tony grabbed his mobile.

 


	39. Chapter 39

Seeing that Pepper’s telcon took longer than anticipated, the billionaire slipped into her office around 2:45PM. He sauntered over to where she sat at her desk, legs crossed, and spoke into her headset. Pepper threw him an apologetic glance. Tony waved her off and snatched a piece of paper and a pen instead. Quick to scribble his plans for going downtown, he held it up for her to see.

After she had read it and nodded, he bent down to kiss her forehead and felt her palm cup his cheek.  
“Be back early to take you out for dinner. Wear something stunning.”  
His mumblings made her smirk, despite focusing on the conversation on line.

With agile steps, Tony took the stairs into the workshop before he gunned his R8 Spyder out of the driveway. At a warm 81 degrees, he drove with the top down all the way on the PCH to Santa Monica, until he reached his destination in West Los Angeles, no two hours later. Tony strolled through unfinished office spaces, empty or halfway furnished corridors until he found his destination.

The man in question sat in his own office, high up on the 15th floor. With one hip on the desk, Bruce Wayne was browsing through a mobile device in his hand. He looked up as the smaller man closed the door behind him. “Tony.” At the neutral voice, the Californian billionaire spread his arms in a casual gesture. “Got my message then I see. Sorry I didn't bring a housewarming gift at short notice.”  
  
Wayne smirked and stood up to pocket his phone. “That has never been your strength, if I remember correctly.” Stark chuckled without actual mirth and gnawed the corner of his bottom lip. “True that, true that. So,” Tony came closer and inspected the still bare office. “this is it then?” The Gothamite crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“Soon will be.”  
Tony hummed in understanding.  
“Wayne Research Institute?”

Its owner narrowed his eyes.  
“Correct.”  
A twitch of a dark eyebrow.

“And what is it you're researching here if I may ask? Just curious.”  
  
Stark twirled his car keys around his right index finger as he mustered Wayne in a daring manner. In what seemed an unconscious gesture, the Gothamite began to roll up the sleeves of his dark-gray button-down shirt. “As soon as the basement labs are ready, I'll be happy to show you around.” Then Bruce raised his chin and mustered the shorter billionaire with mistrust.  
  
“Until then, I wonder what you're doing here on this particular day of the year.”

With a huge sigh and a look around at no current seating opportunities other than the large desk, Tony slid onto the wooden table top until his legs dangled in mid-air. “Yeah, ain't I rad? Bet you're dying to know how I found you out before the local paparazzi did.” The exasperated look Bruce threw him spoke volumes, but Tony waved a hand about, undeterred. 

“The postage meter didn't say Gotham City, so your card kinda got my hackles up.” Wayne fought the urge to applaud him for his deductive skills. “I sincerely hope you're not looking for a prize to your little paper chase. That would be a bucketful of wall color at best. So, does Pepper know you're here?” Clicking his tongue, Tony shook his head before he looked Bruce square in the eye.

“Negative. What I'm rather interested in are your recent body readings to be honest.” When Bruce frowned ever so slightly, Stark kicked his sneakered heels into the table. “I need to know if there are any kinds of variations in Extremis since your very first contact with it two and a half years ago. Like a decrease of some kind, some palpable side effects, or anything.”

Bruce shoved his palms into the pockets of his jeans and allowed his confusion to show. “You came all the way down here to talk to me about Extremis?” The Californian inventor made a move to incline his head ever so slightly. “Thought I'd take the opportunity; seeing you've already left home base, sent Pep the card - and still owe me big time for all of the past year.”

Bruce's eyes went hard.  
“You guilt-tripping me is getting old. If that's what you meant by collaboration, then I...”  
Here Tony cut him off and hopped from the desk.

“Nuh-uh, that's actually something else – the collab I mean. You see, I'm a good husband, and I listen to my wife. And when she says doing business with her ex-lover is gonna be the wisest decision on earth, then I try to keep my mouth shut and do as she pleases. But, this here -the Extremis thing- is different, I need you to make sure I...”

He paused, gnawed at his bottom lip again and pressed thumb and index finger together.  
“... I need to make sure all of my equations are correct before I try the stuff myself.”  
The sudden sound of Bruce's mobile buzzing in his pocket cut through the air.

Not taking his eyes off his counterpart, Bruce felt for the device and the noise died down.  
“You want to inject yourself. With Extremis. For no particular reason.”  
Each sentence sounded more and more skeptical and unconvinced.

Tony's brow furrowed.

“For a very particular reason. But I don't want to go through all of the process of the current formula. I just need a trifle of its... vigor.” He raised his head. “And I need you to help me figure out how to do it. You've got the stuff in you... and you've got the brains.” After a long moment, in which both men stared at each other, Bruce's lips parted in mock-laughter. He turned around and walked towards the windows.  
  
“I am not going to help you mutilating yourself for no apparent reason, Tony, I'm sorry.”  
Footsteps verged on him and Bruce's muscles unconsciously started to flex.  
“Oh come on, how many guys with a built-in nightlight do ya know apart from me, eh?”  
  
When Bruce made no move to answer his rhetorical question, Tony nodded to himself.  
“I want Extremis to repair the damage done to me by Palladium.”  
The voice was now right behind him, but Bruce did not turn around as realization set in.  
  
“That takes cashing in a favor to a whole new level.”  
  
One more step and Tony appeared in the corner of Bruce's eye. His bearded mouth formed a lopsided grin as they both looked out into the bright blue day of Los Angeles. “Conventional medicine's never been my style anyway. Can I count you in?” Bruce Wayne cast him a sideways glance as if he tried to make sense out of Tony Stark. At the eager look in those expressive large eyes, the Gothamite tilted his head.

“I hope I’m not going to disappoint you.”  
Determinedly shaking his head Tony smiled at him and slapped a hand on his shoulder.  
“Nah, you won’t.”

 


	40. Chapter 40

Malibu, later that evening  
  


“… and at this point, I am not even sure Hugh Jones still is at the helm; rumor has it he was ousted as president by a certain John T. Gamelin. Anyway, seeing that Roxxon Oil has this huge deal with both Cybertek Systems and Brand Corporation, we need to find a way to implement our joint-venture before they make their move on Hammer Industries.”

Tony sat and halfheartedly listened to the agitated ramblings of his wife as they sat in the backseat of the Rolls-Royce Phantom and drove through the night. At some point, he had taken one of her hands into his to still her nervous movements. “Mhm.” Pepper cast him a reprimanding stare. “ _Mhm_? That’s all you’re going to say? Tony, did you even listen to me?”

The billionaire glanced down at their entwined hands on the cream-colored upholstery and stroked the back of her fingers with his thumb. “Course. We gotta step up the game. Gonna be like shooting fish in a barrel.” A bit of a frown crept in between her brows, but Pepper only sighed and looked up at the foldout screen at the roof liner, where a muted news channel showed the latest US stock exchanges.

She watched how the Stark stock remained steady, while Roxxon Oil showed a slight increase.  
“Easy for you to talk.”  
Tony shifted in his seat and scooted nearer towards her.

He let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulder and pull her into a hug, mindful of her chignon hairstyle. With his free arm he tapped the screen above and changed the channel to a weather forecast. “Comes with the territory, my love. But, to cut the company topic short on _your birthday_ ,” he emphasized the words on purpose. “I can see if Hammer's still as easy to eavesdrop on as I remember him to be. Happy now?”

He pressed his lips upon her temple and Pepper got to inhale his invigorating fragrance. “Worried rather. The last thing we need is a lawsuit. Don’t go and provide them with any kind of target, I beg you. No, we'll just have to work a little bit faster to revise all concept papers before there are any unforeseen showstoppers.” Tony smirked into her hair.  
  
“Speaking of showstopper – have I told you how much your dress is turning me on?”  
  
His free hand moved to brush up the hem of her coat and touched her bare legs. With a smirk she covered and held his hand in place before it got a life of its own. “A couple of times actually. But what you haven’t told me so far is where we are going for dinner tonight.” He let go off her thigh to do a quick check of his watch. Then he pressed a button to which the opaque partition wall began to lower.

The first thing Pepper noticed was the vast road which spread out in front of them. Lights shone in the distance until Pepper was able to make out the illuminated Stark Aviation logo. Flabbergasted, she looked at her husband. “Tony, but what…? I thought we’re going for dinner!” From where he still cupped her shoulder, Tony gently drew her closer and pointed out of the front window for her to follow his glance.  
  
The ‘Virginia’stood outside the hangar; its navigation lights blinking at them from far away.  
“Oh, we are – but not down here.”  
Then their driver also turned around to face them.

“Happy! I thought you had the day off?!”  
The big man pushed his driver’s cap out of his forehead and grinned.  
“Hey Peps, happy birthday to you.”

Tony ushered them out of the car. He left it to his former bodyguard to take care of their belongings in the trunk and led his wife towards her very own, namesake Learjet. “May I introduce ‘Virginia’ to you, Pepper. Ain’t she a beauty? Not as beautiful as you of course, but just like you, she’s really got it goin’ on.” A gust of wind played with her coat, and Pepper tugged it around her waist.

“I can’t believe I let you get away with this.”

Her tone was only half serious and it made him chuckle. Tony had seen the look of awe across her features as her eyes roamed around the brand-new vessel. The billionaire then made a chivalrous gesture. “After you, Mrs Stark.” They busied themselves inspecting the spacious interior design until Happy poked his head in. The two men shared a look lost to Pepper, who marveled at the soft Nappa leather trimmings.

“You’re good and ready to go, bossman.”

Tony gave him a final thumbs up, and Pepper was just in time to see Happy wave goodbye at her before the door closed and they were alone with their two pilots up front. The couple sat through the lift-off procedure, until the seat belt sign stopped showing on the monitor and they were airborne.  
  
“Mrs Stark, Mister Stark, welcome abroad the ‘Virginia’. This will be a non-stop flight from Malibu to Las Vegas with an estimated duration of 45 minutes. We're flying at an altitude of 30,000 feet, at a speed of 290 miles per hour. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight. Thank you.”

Deliberately prudent, Pepper folded her hands in her lap.  
“Vegas. Just for tonight. Are you crazy?”  
The genius inventor gave a lazy stroke to his goatee and leaned back.

“Yup. Nope, till Saturday. And the last point depends. Loosen up honey, it’s ya birthday.”  
  
Even as he spoke, Tony removed his silvery-gray jacket and yanked off his bluish striped tie as well. His wife glanced down at her dress. “You know I don’t like spontaneous surprises. Now I’ve got to spend two days in this.” She plucked the hem of her Stella McCartney dress. A set of white teeth gleamed at her. “You could go naked.” Before his chutzpah got him more than an icy glare, Tony made amends. 

“But knowing you and your tendency to get the sniffles, I was far-seeing enough and packed some of your stuff to tide you over.” He then rose and gripped the armrests of her seat. When his face was only inches from hers, Pepper’s eyes darted in between his mischievous ones. Her index finger then traced an imaginary path from his temple to his cheek, which she tapped lightly.

“You raiding my closet is almost as bad.”  
He mimicked her slight smirk and scooted nearer to peck her lips.  
“Jarvis guided me through the maze of unending hanging rails. There were no casualties.”

With gathered momentum, Tony straightened up to his full height again. He put his arms akimbo and a more dignified expression on his face. “So now, as promised: Dinner. Brace yourself, my love, the first course is about to get served.” His fancy British accent caused her to laugh. Pepper crossed her legs. “I'm delighted, Mister Stark. Care to enlighten me about what to expect, culinary-wise?”  
  
Tony cleared his throat and took a huge breath. “For starters, we’ll have grilled Teriyaki salmon bites, followed by the main course that is pumpkin ravioli bound in creme Fraîche with tomato, some shaved Parmesan and Broccolinni flowers...” Amused Pepper watched him tick off all the ingredients on his fingers. “... and for dessert there’s rhubarb curd with almond shortbread crust. Et voila!”

Her eyebrows rose in undisguised appreciation.  
“I don’t know how you're going to do all of this in here, but I’ll be happy to see you try.”  
His expression morphed into a waggish facade.

“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it, baby. No more omelet incidents on _my_ watch.”

True to his word, and with the help of the newly installed microwave oven of the ‘Virginia’, Tony was able to present a scrumptious three-course meal. Enraptured Pepper watched him buzz around the plane with fervor; his sleeves rolled up and the first two buttons of his collar undone as he put the final touches to each plate. Even if the food was not entirely his doings, Pepper was moved by his efforts.

Time passed all to quick, and before she knew it, they arrived at the Bellagio.  



	41. Chapter 41

“Are you ready to rock Vegas with me, Mrs Stark?”  
  
Tony poked his head around the door of her own private bathing facilities of suite 10001 with its direct view on the lake and the Eiffel Tower. He was back to wearing his tie and jacket and fiddled with his watch as Tony watched his wife freshen up. “Yes, though I think I'll settle for a nice dry Martini at the bar and keep an eye on you.”  
  
With a final touch to her hair, Pepper turned around and strode past him to fetch her clutch bag. Tony ogled her backside and gave it an amicable pat when she was in reach. “We'll see about that.”

Blue eyes and a raised eyebrow reminded him not to push his luck, even in Las Vegas. Therefore they first went outside and took a quick stroll across the premises and some window shopping at the many little designer boutiques centered around Lake Bellagio. With his chin Tony pointed across Flamingo Road.

“Reminds me of that one time I spent more money at the Caesar's in half an hour than some people make their whole life.” Pepper looked at him with a deadpan expression. “Can only come from someone who gives a damn about understatement.” Tony nudged her shoulder with a smug wink. “... or someone who's just brutally honest.”

He drew her close to his side and all but purred into her ear. “The name of Stark stands for money galore, baby. And tonight I really wanna see you go for it; all irrational and crazy. I know you got it in ya.” Pepper pursed her lips. Being married to one of America's wealthiest men could not erase her moral believes - abundant love for expensive items like shoes or art aside.

She excused herself to head for the restrooms, and when she returned, Tony casually leaned at a nearby banister and played with a stack of plastic chips in his hands. Despite her protests, he slipped a considerable amount of yellow and gray ones into her hand. “My bankroll's sitting at 40k. I put yours at 60, cause it's ya birthday. Have fun, hun.“  
  
Eyes wide Pepper began to shake her head. Tony however was relentless.  
“Don't spend all of it on Martini though. I have plans for us tonight.”  
A kiss to the back of her hand, and he was off to the open tables to the right.

The redhead went to get herself a drink from the nearby Baccarat Bar. After the first dry Martini with three olives she felt a little more settled and began to inspect her surroundings. The whole interior decoration was posh and glitzy without being too tacky. No windows and all artificial lighting made it impossible to guess what time it was.

Somewhere in the background, music resounded through invisible speakers; some modified version of Dean Martin's 'Mambo Italiano'. From the corner of her eye, she noticed an elder man with a Stetson watching her with great interest from three bar stools away. When she risked a glimpse, he raised his whiskey tumbler with an appreciative wiggle of his eyebrows.

Pepper kept her face neutral, nodded once with as much politeness she deemed necessary, and slid off the stool. She downed the remains of her second Martini a trifle too fast, grabbed her clutch and left in what she hoped was a not too hurried pace.

Everywhere people were gambling, laughing and talking. It made disappearing within the crowd easy and she wandered through the endless rows of slot machines and gaming tables until she had put enough distance between her and the old cowboy. The longer she watched her surroundings, the more Pepper felt like the chips were burning a hole into her clutch from the inside.

Eventually she found her husband who was engrossed in a game of Craps at one of the busy tables. He waved her over to him. “There you are! C'mere Pep, be my shooter, will ya.” Without waiting for her consent, Tony pushed both his dice into her hand and made an inviting gesture towards the rectangle green table.

“Roll the hard six for me.”  
Pepper cast him a judgmental look.  
“Tony, I can't do that. It's a lot of money and I...”

When she attempted to give the dice back to him, Tony simply poked her side. The dice slipped out of her hand.  
“Easy four.”  
The crowd around them started to cheer. Unfazed, one of the dealers shoved a large pile of chips over to Tony.

He gave a quick shake of the head and pointed a thumb at his wife.  
“All credits to the lady.”  
She vehemently protested, until the chips were stacked in front of her.

"Since I cannot talk out of this, I want to make a wish for my birthday."  
Surprised delight flittered across Tony's features. He slipped a hand around her waist.  
"Tell me all your dirty secrets."

With a predatory smile, Pepper ran her index finger around his earlobe and leaned in.  
"All of what you are winning tonight goes to our supported charities and foundations, in equal shares."  
The split second of bewilderment on his face soon gave way to an inviting grin.

"Deal. You'd better stay by my side as lucky charm then."  
Pepper watched him roll the dice once more, score a losing 12, and elicit disappointed murmurs from the crowd.  
"Ah well, win some - you lose some."  
  
"... Oh, forgot to add - any losses are going to be paid out of your pocket, of course."  
She flashed her husband a brilliant grin. Tony scrunched up his face.  
"Ah, crap."

***

After a late breakfast and a spa session with facials and massages, they went to see the Bellagio fountains show at 3PM the next day.

Tony took the quest for the best spot to watch the spectacle very serious, and Pepper was left to wait for him at the railing. As she stood and gazed out at the quiet water surface, a little boy with a cotton candy stick in his hand dashed around the people who were sightseeing. During his zigzagging course, he ran headfirst into an unsuspecting Pepper.

While she remained unscathed, he stumbled and fell down onto all fours in front of her, his candy grazing her pants. A small sound like 'ouch' escaped his lips as he cast a confused look through large blue eyes up at her. Immediately, Pepper bent down to help him to his feet. He did not seem older than three years, with light brown hair that curled around his ears.

His bottom lip began to tremble menacingly and Pepper clasped his shoulders. “Hey, hey, hey, don't cry, don't cry. Look, all of your arms and legs are still there. See?” Before his sniffling could evolve into a full-blown crying fit, her diversion seemed to work. Pepper took one of his hands and gently moved each of his fingers after she was sure he had not injured himself.

His attention then switched to something else. “My candy.” He cast a disheartened stare down to the ground at the remains of his spun sugar cone. “I'll buy you a new one if you like?” His eyes wandered from the ground to her and around them. “Where's my mommy?” While she remained squatting next to him, Pepper glanced around.

“Don't worry, she is here somewhere.”  
A tiny hand then wormed into hers.  
“I want my mommy.”

Pepper swallowed as his voice sounded dangerously near crying again.  
With gentle fingers, her free hand brushed some of the locks on his forehead aside.  
“Why don't we have a look around for her together? Let's see who spots her first, okay?”

“Richard!”  
A stern female voice hollered across the vast area of the Bellagio fountains.  
From where she was cradling the little boy in her arm Pepper looked at the woman approaching them.

“Oh Miss, I'm so sorry. He's like a little Johnny Head-in-the-air sometimes, I don't know.” Pepper let go of the boy and rose back to her feet. The woman pulled her son close by his sleeve and regarded the sugar stains on Pepper's jeans. Quick to brush at the spot in question on her calf, Pepper waved her off.

“It's fine, nothing happened. He hasn't hurt himself, that's the most important thing.”  
With a look at the intimidated little boy again who meanwhile was held next to his mother's side in a firm grip, she smiled.  
“I am sure your mom will buy you new candy.”

A look at the mother however told Pepper otherwise. The woman lightly shook her son.  
“Richard, have you apologized to this nice lady yet? What does one say?”  
His face half-hidden behind his mother's thigh, Richard lowered his head.  
  
“Sorry.”  
  
Before Pepper could protest, the woman excused herself once more and dragged her son away. Tony, who had witnessed the whole incident from afar, heaved a deep breath. He tried to shake the image of Pepper holding the little boy in her arms from his mind and made his way over to her. A wide grin was back on his face as she looked at him.  
  
“Even the little ones are at your feet.”  
His halfhearted joke got him a faint smile in return, and Tony clasped her waist.  
“C'mon, over there's the best spot.”

Despite her fondness for the show, the thoughtful expression on Pepper's face remained.  
“It's funny how people don't really value all of what they have sometimes.”  
Tony cast her a sideways glance.  
  
“Some have to near lose first to really realize. And for some not even that is enough.”   
His contemplative tone made her snap out of her dark mood.   
She stopped his stride, cupped his face and kissed him. Tony raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Uh, wow. What was that for?”  
His startled voice cause her to smile an honest smile.  
“For all of this. For being here. For being you. Just because.”

When they were about to leave Las Vegas behind in the evening, Tony nestled up to Pepper's sleeping form on the berthable seats and glanced out into the multitude of clouds which glowed in the beautiful, spectral orange-black hues of the sundown.

It was about time to get certain things rolling a bit faster.

 


	42. Chapter 42

Los Angeles, 15th  October 2013

 

Seeing it took Tony about an hour to get from his company to the Wayne Research Institute, he found ways to sneak out during or after work. Whenever his wife was busy, and he had played the role of the ever attentive CEO long enough and sat through tiresome meetings, Tony would find ways to clear his schedule and jet off to the Executive Tower in West L.A.

It had taken a great amount of Bruce's patience and, in the end, some serious back talk to stop the Californian inventor to show up on his doorstep unannounced and demand attention. Never one to come a close second in anything, Stark had to understand how Wayne's center of life still was Gotham City; even more so since his official return to his hometown and his re-establishment at his company's helm.

Once he had wheedled out a secret parking space and an access code for Bruce's own, private laboratory in the basement, Tony became easier to handle. He made a point in letting Bruce know when he would be there and got to work, even if the other man was not in Los Angeles at the same time. In turn for such great act of faith, Tony made sure to keep all of his visits well hidden from all WE employees.

On a very warm, late Tuesday afternoon, the two men worked next to each other in what had become a common, but not unpleasant silence at the air-conditioned lab. Tony sipped on an iced coffee from the Coffee Bean shop on Lincoln Boulevard in between keeping an eye on the DNA extraction process in the centrifuge.

During their previous studies, they had already extracted Bruce's blood sample. The number of his white blood cells was higher than with most people, and the red blood cells showed a prolonged length of survival up to 200 days. Bruce's meticulous approach to their studies made it clear that the Gothamite had already given genomic sequencing a try.

“Your top of the class juices really make my leukocytes feel bad, you know?”  
When Bruce did not give a reply, Tony slurped on the bottom of the cup. Wayne snapped the lid of a sample shut.  
“Here. For the protein synthesis. Make sure this only contains ribosomes and amino acids and no caffeine.”

With an indignant snort, Tony took the small tube from him and simultaneously threw his empty coffee cup into a nearby trash bin. “Yeah, I just hope you paid enough attention in keeping the DNA code intact in this one, or else we'll change the amino acids coded for, and thus change the protein. And we don't want to render this little protein bugger here biologically inactive, now do we?”

The faintest hint of a smile crept along Bruce's mouth.  
“Look who's done his homework.”  
At his good-natured jibe, Tony curled his upper lip.

“Way back in 1977, when Your Highness actually was nothing but a drooling rug rat.”  
Their verbal sparring usually went on for several more rounds, but Bruce decided to drop the subject.  
Instead he approached Tony, syringe in his hand, and grabbed his forearm.

“Yikes, hands off the merchandise! Buy me dinner first. Hey, ouch, what are you...”  
Bruce cast him a stern glance.  
“Hold still, we're going to need one more sample as a backup.”

With his thumb on the cotton pad over the puncture in his vein, Tony groused on, even as Bruce resumed his seat at the laboratory bench and adjusted the electron microscope. “No more of these, or else Pepper's gonna think I'm doing H or somethin'.” The Gothamite kept his back to the other man as he analyzed the sample. “The deadline for the meeting still stands, as far as I'm concerned?”

Tony's brain instantly clicked at the change of subject. One of the main tasks his beloved wife had bestowed on him involved the preparation of their joint-venture meeting at the end of the month, to finalize the deal and publicly make announcements. “Sure does. And slowly but surely her excitement's even rubbing off on me.” The inventor sauntered over to another waste bin and disposed of the stained cotton pad.

“She did quite a job in convincing Lucius the whole thing is not just a Stark show-off.” Bruce took his head away and Tony squashed in next to him to also get a glimpse. “For real though: Let the most powerful billionaires of the western hemisphere cockblock Roxxon's liaison with Hammer? That gives me a boner just thinkin' about it.”

It prompted Bruce to briefly take his eye off the monitor next to the microscope.  
“Why doesn't that surprise me?”  
Tony mock-leered at him and vacated the spot at the digital display again.

“Cause you know me by now?”  
Bruce put the used object slide away and saved the last readouts to his files.  
“Just the abyss of your dirty, warped mind.”

Content Tony started to roll his sleeve back down when the bleeding had stopped.  
“That might've been the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Waynster.”  
Eventually, Bruce stood up, went to a closet, and put on a fresh pair of disposable gloves.

They shared a look and Tony gave an unintentional gulp. After weeks of preparation and double-testing any factors and variables, it was about time to test the first approved shot of a moderated, desensitized Extremis solution.

“Are you really sure about this?” Doubt lingered on the Gothamite's angular face. “It still could get painful. Maybe you want to sleep on this one more night.” Tony squinted and indicated a hand in between them. “I'm sorry, have we met before?” With raised eyebrows at the deadpan retort, Bruce took the syringe. He pressed on until liquid appeared at the tip.

“I am just saying - this right here is sketchy at best, stop sugarcoating things.”  
Tony scrunched up his face as he exposed some skin between his waistband and his shirt.  
“Hey, look at that. Couldn’t find any fucks to give. Now be a doll and just prick me, kay?”

In the end, Bruce allowed him to leave after making him wait for half an hour, in case of any unforeseen strong reaction to the serum. Tony earned himself a fresh bruise on his upper arm for pretending to have a seizure, before they called it a day around 7PM and parted ways.

When Tony's Audi turned in at the gate of his mansion, he saw lights illuminating indoors and winced. He had planned on being at home before Pepper found him missing, and wiggled until he was able to pull his StarkPhone from the pocket of his jeans. No missed calls from her, so Tony put his foot down harder and let the R8 howl out on the last couple of yards.

He stopped right behind her 'Stark 23' S7 in the circular driveway and turned off the engine. At a quick pace he entered the huge foyer and looked around for the familiar redhead. “There you are.” Her voice erupted from upstairs and Tony craned his neck to watch her come down. Pepper was still in her Hugo Boss suit, but without her five inch stilettos.

Glad not to have her tower above him for once, Tony was quick to gather her in his arms and apply a warm kiss to her lips. As he continued to hold her, his eyes roamed around her face. “A very good evening to you, too, my love. You hungry? I could really go for some burritos from La Salsa tonight.” He glimpsed at his Rolex before fishing for his phone. “But we'd need to order soon, it's almost 8:30PM.”  
  
A slim hand stilled his motions before he was able to put the phone to his ear.  
“Tony, I don't mean to be nosy or anything, but you left work four hours ago...”  
Mild reproach wafted from the unspoken part of her sentence. Tony gave a huge sigh.  
  
“Ah shoot, yeah, I know. Let me start by saying that it's nothing to be worried about.”  
Her brows knitted together, and he knew he was doomed, no matter what would be following his introduction.  
“Okay, here's the thing. I was visiting Gotham's renegade prince in his new L.A. castle.”

From the look Pepper cast him as she slipped out of his embrace, Tony decided to reenforce his statement and let her in on the news. “Waynster got his Research Institute set up at the west coast. The Exec Tower on Olympic Boulevard. He's not officially moved in yet, but that's where the magic happens.” As he spoke, Tony strolled further into their living room and threw himself on the couch.

He brandished his phone into her direction once more. “But, more important right now: Burritos – yes or no? Gimme a signal here, sweetheart, before it's too late to order.” With slow movements, Pepper crossed her arms in front of her chest and followed up to where he now sat and slipped off his gray Gucci sneakers. “How and where does your sudden love for Bruce Wayne come from if I may ask?”

Bewildered, Tony stopped waving his phone and let his arm sink.  
“Wait up - you already _knew_ about the WE office? And still made me eat humble pie?”  
Pepper's arms unfolded as her fingers began to unbutton her jacket.

“First of all - yes, of course I knew about the Tower. Lucius mentioned it a few weeks ago. Second - no, I didn't know Bruce was here, or that you've apparently helped him to move in, but it does explain your frequent absences for the most part. And third...” Even as she spoke, Pepper turned around and headed for the upper floors again, jacket now casually draped over one shoulder.

“...if your humble pie isn't enough, I'd suggest you make use of your cooking skills and whip up some scrambled eggs for us.”

With a last look back, she disappeared from his view. Tony wasted no time in preparing the necessary ingredients in the kitchen, before he chased after her to share her shower time and wash off a hard day's work from both of their bodies.

 


	43. Chapter 43

Stark Industries Headquarters, 28th October 2013  
  


On a fairly cool Monday morning with Los Angeles in its mid-sixties, a dark sedan passed the front gate of the vast premises and drove all the way down until it stopped at the main building. Two men in dark business suits exited and made their way in without detour. After Happy Hogan had ensured all security measures were taken, they were led towards an elevator.

Up on the seventh floor, Pepper and Tony Stark stood up from their seats inside the large meeting room.  
  
“Lucius, good to see you again.”  
The redhead rose from her seat to give the black man an informal hug.  
“Likewise, Pepper. Been a while indeed. You look magnificent.”

Tony fought an underlying sluggishness and also rose to extend his hand. He knew about the brief history of Fox and Pepper, and it still made him tense. “Mister Fox, all the long way from Gotham to L.A., we're flattered.” Their handshake was firm and appraising. Fox cocked his head. “Famous Mister Stark. Your reputation precedes you by far.” With a suave grin Tony waved him off.  
  
“Most of it is highly underrated, entirely made up, or simply too good not to be true.”

As the billionaire then shook the hand of the elderly attorney next to him, he frowned. “But where did you leave the tall, dark one? You know - Waynster, the life of the party?” Inconspicuous but firm, Pepper pinched his side before she stepped up and also greeted the Gotham lawyer who introduced himself as Roger Eaton, a well-known hardliner in his field.

As Fox and Eaton took a seat and accepted respective beverages from a hovering service staff member, Tony adjusted the chair for Pepper before plopping down himself. They waited until the young man from service closed the door behind him. “Mister Wayne sends his apologies for the short-term change of plans. He is on his way to L.A. and will be able to join the meeting via vidcon, give or take in half an hour.”

Tony slouched in his seat and gave a snort while he unobtrusively scratched his side. “Ah well, it's not like we couldn't do this without him of course. It's just kinda rude.” Pepper cleared her throat and cast him a reprimanding glare. She knew her husband’s odd humor, but that did not mean outsiders did as well. “I'm sure there is a good reason why Bruce couldn't attend today.”

Her voice left no room to argue, so her billionaire pursed his lips with an impish twinkle in his eyes. Sometimes he loved to rile her up just for the fun of it. Lucius Fox watched his lawyer pull the necessary documents from his attaché case, and accepted a copy of the contractual agreement. Pepper also straightened up, tugged at the front of her black Donna Karan blazer, and adressed the present SI attorney.

“Mister Hindel is taking the minutes. A copy will be handed out afterwards. Shall we?”

Roger Eaton began to speak and recited the general principal of the joint-venture, each company's status, their warranties and obligations, as well as the purpose, scope and scale of operation. When Eaton was done with his synopsis, Tony piped in with a smug expression. “You forgot the most important purpose: To mop the floor with Roxxon Oil, big-time.”  
  
Of all people present, Fox was the only one to smile in honest amusement.  
“That's what people call a straight-shooter, Mister Stark. Refreshing and admirable.”  
Tony threw his wife a glance as if to say 'told you so' before he grinned back at Fox.  
  
“Yeah, that's just who I am. At this point, you might as well ask for my autograph.”  
Unfazed, Fox leaned back and clasped his hands upon the desk.  
“The only autograph I might actually be interested in will be the one signing this joint-venture agreement.”

He then smiled and focused on the redhead. “We have maintained most of the wordings from your original draft. The only point Mister Wayne was adamant about to have revised was section 2.3” Fox paused until everyone had turned onto the page in question. “More specifically he wants to change the 'whether or' to an 'if not'.” The married couple exchanged a look. Tony glimpsed over his wife's shoulder at the copy.

“Man, he really _did_ read the whole thing from end to end.”  
At his mumbled words, Fox grinned like a Cheshire Cat.  
“Mister Wayne is always very thorough.”

Pepper's astute eyes did not take long to decipher the change Bruce wanted to make. With a nod and a click of her pen, she started to cross the words out. Their attorney then cleared his throat, looked up from his notepad, and over to his stoical WE counterpart. “Mrs Stark, we can postpone the meeting for any changes to the original document.” His tone was quiet and polite. It caused her to pause and glance at her husband.

Tony suppressed a small yawn, sniffed, and blinked a couple of times. “Good point there, Bertie, but I for one don't wanna drag this out more than necessary. Let's see what Bruce's gotta say about it.” With one look around, Tony took out his StarkPad and placed it amidst the table. In seconds, the connection loaded and they were greeted by the calm face of the Gothamite in what could be identified as one of his private jets.

His Californian counterpart stroked over his goatee with two fingers and eased back in his chair.  
“Brucie, light of my life. What's up? We're here waiting, and you're leaving us high 'n dry.”  
The two attorneys looked as if they had just swallowed a gigantic bug.

Lucius Fox kept his eyes on the screen for Bruce's reaction, and the smirk on his lips well hidden.  
Pepper ever so slightly pinched the bridge of her nose and avoided to look at Wayne.

“If only I had known you'd ever miss me so much, Stark. I'm flattered.”  
Bruce's voice and his facial expression never wavered and caused Tony to cackle aloud.  
“Careful there Wayne, there's innocent ears within these walls here.”

A slight coughing fit interrupted Tony, and Pepper mustered up enough courage to raise her eyes and look at the person on screen. Bruce threw her a brief glance paired with a guarded smile, which barely lifted the corner of his mouth, and focused back on Fox. “Any complications, Lucius?” The CEO put up a predatory grin and gave a slow shake of his head.  
  
“We've just gotten to point 2.3, Mister Wayne. But it seems the pitfalls can be avoided.”

While Tony sipped some water to ease his throat, his wife signed on the designated line of the last page. With a resolute motion, Pepper then shoved the papers over to her husband and nodded at their attorney. “Mister Hindel, there are no objections on our part when it comes to Mister Wayne's wish of each Joint Venturer being allowed to independently engage in any business endeavor, _if it is not competitive with the object of the Joint Venture itself_. This is a mutual trust endeavor after all.”

For a split second, all male eyes were on her. It was Tony Stark who then slapped his palms together in a finalized gesture and fished for his stainless steel Montblanc ball pen from the breast pocket of his shirt. “Gentlemen, we've all heard the lady. It is law.”

Not long after the ink of Lucius Fox' signature had dried on the contract, Pepper Stark took it upon herself to guide the small Gotham delegation for a brief tour around the premises and to celebrate the kick-off with a drink and some finger food, seeing it already was past lunchtime. A mumbled conversation with Tony led to him excusing himself for lunch.

Seeing how drained he looked up close, Pepper clasped his arm and told him to take his time; she would cater to their guests for the rest of their stay. After the remaining persons left the room, Tony hibernated in his chair for another good ten minutes and rested his forehead on the cool glass of the conference table. His brain felt unnaturally foggy, and he strained to keep a straight thought.

The itching at his side erupted again, and Tony un-tugged the shirt from his waistband to glance at the nagging spot. It was circular, no bigger than a half dollar coin, and most of all reddish and inflated. With a disdained grunt at his discovery, Tony tapped at the StarkPad to bring it out of standby mode. No twenty minutes after ending the first call, Bruce Wayne answered again, a hint of taunt on his even features.

“Forgot where to sign on the dotted line, Tony?”  
The other billionaire gave a gruff, non-verbal reply and stood up to present his puncture.  
“The fuck is this here? And why now, it's been like two weeks without any side effects.”

Even though Bruce shifted a little closer to the screen of his own notebook, he was unable to make out specific details on Tony's faux striptease. “I can't tell from here. As for the duration, you know there's no fixed period in which the serum is about to work. Sketchy at best, I told you.” Nevertheless, Wayne made amends and asked about any other abnormalities in health.

“Dunno if feeling like I'm suffering from the flu counts, but all in all I feel like shit. And it's not even like there's any change in the load, as far as I'm concerned.” Bruce wrinkled his face in disgust. “Gross, Tony. And too much information.” Despite his indisposition, Stark had to smirk and set his shirt straight again. “So when's the next try-out session then? I could carve out some time tomorrow.”

When he had to pause for a hearty sneeze in between words, Bruce crossed his arms over his chest. “Forget it. We're not experimenting on your current condition.” The glare the shorter man cast him was a dark one. “My body, my choice. And if the current formula is shit we'll try a new one. Time and time again until Extremis works on me as well. You and me we got a deal, Wayne, don't forget. You won't cop out on me now!”

The sound of a book dropping to the floor behind him almost made Tony jump in the air.

Pepper stood in the doorway, moleskin at her feet, and stared from her husband to the picture of the Gothamite on screen.

Her mouth disappeared into a thin, grim line at the same time her brows furrowed deeply. Before any of the billionaires got to say something, Pepper picked up her agenda, turned around, and wordlessly left the conference room. The door clicked shut behind her. Tony sunk down in the leather chair and buried his head in his hand.

“Oh fuck!”

 


	44. Chapter 44

To the outside world, Pepper Stark was still the poised picture of calmness as she left the premises at a resolute pace. As she walked, she turned off her mobile phone and slammed it back into her purse to pull out her car keys instead. No five minutes later, she was behind the wheel of her S7, with no second glance over to the parked R8 next to her.

Pepper drove all the way down to the 101, but instead of turning right on Ventura Freeway towards Stark Mansion, she followed the 405 all the way down until she found herself winding through the populated streets of West Los Angeles. When a sudden red light forced her to slam on the brakes at the very last second, she decided she needed a break.

At the irony of the Executive Tower with its Wayne Research Institute in close proximity, Pepper took a sharp turn for the Santa Monica Boulevard and eventually came to a standstill on an unfrequented parking lot which belonged to the Will Rogers State Beach. She made use of the public restrooms, splashed cold water onto her wrists, and pushed the door open with one elbow.

A screeching seagull on the roof made her wince, and Pepper cast the bird a sinister glare before she meandered down to the waterside, sling pumps dangling in between fingers. The sand was tepid, despite a fresh breeze that whipped at her hair and the collar of her blouse. Pepper walked and walked until her Audi was only a tiny spot in the distance.  
  
She cast a glance up in the sky with its fast moving clouds and slivers of sun in between. Tony and Bruce double-crossing her stung. More than she liked to admit to herself. A part of her wanted her to take it as a certain kind of well-deserved punishment for her own wrongdoings, but Pepper had been through too much to still wear the proverbial shoe that did not fit.

The sound of waves crashing upon the shore filled her ears, and at some point, she forgot about her wickedly expensive business suit and just sat down upon her jacket, mindful of the water to barely reach her toes. Her left hand ran through the gritty sand in circles as remorse crossed her mind. Had she misunderstood the whole situation after all?

When she had entered the room to Tony's sneezing fit, she had been about to call out to him, but the disembodied comment from Bruce made her freeze on the spot instead. She knew Tony well enough to expect a one-man search party soon, which was why she left her phone switched off. It would however just grant her a meager head start until he sought her out.

Pepper forced herself to work out a strategy to get through their inevitable confrontation. The rational route of sitting down and having an adult conversation about why he felt the need to experiment with a dangerous substance on his body did not yet seem appealing. No, right there and then, Pepper just wanted to kill him with her bare hands.

***

_'Fuck, her mobile's turned off.'_  
_'Did you try at home?'_  
_'Course I did. She never got there. How much has she heard? Goddammit!'_

_'I'm at the Research Institute in about twenty minutes. I have an idea.'_  
_'Idea? What idea?'_  
_'…'_

_'Fuck, Wayne, what idea??'_  
_'Tracking.'_  
_'No shit. I'm gonna take the suit and track her down, that's what.'_

_'If her mobile's turned off she clearly doesn't want you to.'_  
_'Who asked for your opinion, Gotham prince?'_  
_'Who asked for you to betray her trust, Stark?'_

_'Low blow, Wayne, low blow. What's your damn idea?'_  
_'Has she gone by car?'_  
_'Yeah.'_

_'…'_  
_'Bruce, you clever bastard.'_  
_'Get home, she might show up. I'll let you know once I got more info.'_

***

It did not take longer than an hour until footsteps crunched on the sand behind her.  
“I'm not talking to you, Tony.”  
“You don't have to.”

At the different voice, Pepper swung around.  
Bruce stood a couple of feet away from her, clad in dark jeans and leather jacket, and returned her stare.  
A motorbike helmet was in his hand, and his free hand reached up to brush some windswept hair from his forehead.

“Now he's sending his scapegoat to test the water?”  
  
From experience, Pepper Stark knew scorn never had the desired effect on Bruce Wayne. She nevertheless saw it as her prerogative to unleash her sorrow and anger upon him. The Gothamite's face remained completely blank. “If that's the price to pay, I'll gladly take you up on that.” With a snort, Pepper rose to her feet and viciously shook her jacket to get rid of the sand.  
  
“You acting the martyr never ceases to amaze me, Bruce. Even after all those years.”  
It was then that she cast him another look. He stood, solid as a rock, and absorbed all of her ire and frustration without complaint.  
“I am just so disappointed in you.”

“You have every right to be.”  
  
His stoical admission managed to steal most of her thunder, but Pepper was not ready to forgive and forget. She slipped into her jacket and brushed more sand off her pants legs. “It's odd to not have you sneaking up on me.” His steps then moved closer, but she turned her back on him and began to walk. After a few moments, she heard him following her.

“I did not want to scare you.”  
At that, she could not help but to give a spiteful short laugh over her shoulder.  
“Oh, _that_ is new indeed.”

“Looking out for you was never not an option. For either of us. You know that.”  
Even without the peculiar growl of the Batman, Bruce's words reminded her a lot of his previous, dark alter ego.  
They continued to walk on at her pace, with him keeping her silent company at a safe distance.

Soon, the lifeguard towers loomed on the horizon and the parking lot came back into view. A carbon black Honda stood next to her Audi. Pepper unlocked her car and opened the driver's door. Then she cast her ex-fiancé a disheartened look. “How could you agree to this, Bruce? It would've been _your_ job to talk him out of it.” Wayne locked his jaw and avoided her eyes.  
  
“He only meant well.” Bruce tilted his head as he got a sinister glance in return. “I do realize it sounds like a complete oxymoron at this point though.” The Gothamite then switched the helmet into his other hand and gazed out onto the ocean behind them once more. “I never thought I'd be saying this, but - go and talk to him, Pepper. It'll be for the best.”  
  
A quick squeeze to her shoulder, then Bruce went to straddle his Fireblade. He let her pull out of the parking lot first before he slipped on his helmet and ignited his bike. A glimpse into the rear view mirror showed him gaining speed, until he eventually passed her by. Her eyes followed his fast form up to where Bruce took a sharp turn left and disappeared into the opposite direction; the one had come from.

 


	45. Chapter 45

After she had put the Audi in parking gear, Pepper sat and stared at the little digits of the time display. She had been away for nearly two hours, and dawn slowly started to spread out on the horizon. Looking up, she saw Tony sitting on the lithic doorsteps outside of the mansion, head hanging low. Even from afar he looked like the picture of misery in baggy shorts and shirt.

Upon closer examination, he also looked far too sweated and beat for the simple task of waiting. With resolute movements, she unbuckled and stepped out of the limousine. He raised his head and cast her a glance full of mixed emotions. It was a side of him very few people ever got to see; Tony Stark usually kept his insecurities hidden fairly well.

“Hey.”  
Pepper locked her Audi with a blip of the keys and walked up to stand in front of him.  
“Hey yourself. What are you doing here dressed like that?”  
  
“Wanted to go for a run. Didn't get very far.”  
His mumblings got interrupted by a cough. Pepper reached out when he rose, unsteady.  
“Is Extremis doing this?”  
  
Worry resounded heavily within her voice.  
“Just a little cold, s'all.”  
Upon her stern glare, Tony amended with a shrug.

“... and maybe some teeny-tiny side effects as well.”  
  
Pepper shook her head in exasperation and hoisted her handbag up with force. She avoided his touch by stepping back ever so slightly and pointed a finger at him. “Remember how we had this discussion back in New York? About you messing with your DNA? This isn't something that loses validity over time, Tony; I was, and am, serious.” He rubbed his face in between his palms and took a deep breath behind them.  
  
“Can you yell at me later on when I'm not feeling like my head's about to explode?”  
  
At his desperate undertone Pepper fell silent. She then continued in a softer voice. “Why don't you understand I'm not just angry for you not telling me, but also because I'm worried about your health? I had to get more or less accustomed to worry about you out there in the suit, don't make it worse by exposing yourself to some bio hazard!”

With more energy than expected Tony reached out and gripped both of her forearms in between his hands. “I don't care about me - I don't give a shit, don't you get it? I don't give a flying fuck unless it has to do with you. I love you!” His eyes were wild and a tad feverish. Pepper gently forced her hands nearer until they were able to frame his face. Tony's grip on her never wavered.

His skin felt too warm to the touch. She stroked his cheeks with her thumbs and caught his gaze. “Don't you tell me about love, Anthony, and at the same time go and wreck yourself. That isn't love, that's punishment of the cruelest kind to me; to leave me in the dark, helpless and scared for your life. How can you love me if you don't love yourself?”

When he released her to gesture for the words he could not find, Pepper stayed close to him. Tony eventually gave a huge sigh which got interrupted by another cough. Covering his mouth within his elbow, he felt his wife put her arms around his waist moments later. “I know why you did this.” Despite his weak state, Tony perked up on the inside, alarmed. Pepper stroked his back.  
  
“You feel like you need to compete with Bruce, because he has all those powers.”  
Glad for her misguided assumption, Tony decided to stay silent for the moment.  
“But I love you exactly the way you are, and for who you are, Tony.”  
  
Unbeknownst to her, his eyes started to water and he pressed his face into her shoulder.

“Forgive me.”  
He was shaking against her from chills and fever and his lips were hot on her neck.  
“Promise me to not try another shot again.”

With a weak nod he allowed her to lead him inside and into their bedroom to rest.

***

Over the course of the evening, Tony's condition worsened. It got up to the point where Pepper was pressing cold rags on his forehead, arms and legs every ten minutes to keep him from burning up. She asked Jarvis for a diagnosis, only to be told while the AI could pinpoint the symptoms, it lacked verifiable data to come up with an encompassing cure.

“I am sorry to say that the state Mister Stark is in does not correlate to any given virus or bacteria form there is, Madam. From what I can assume, however, is that the situation does not seem contagious, seeing that the Sir has had symptoms for almost ten days.” Instead of giving in to the minor freak-out which threatened to overwhelm her, Pepper focused on damage control.

Her husband was in the throes of feverish delirium in which he told her to step aside for the four-headed dragon with its mighty wings behind her. Needless to say, Pepper was scared beyond belief. She was unsure if getting an ambulance would help with Tony's medically unexplained condition, other than pumping him full of antipyretic agents or painkillers on the slim chances of easing the symptoms.

“Pep?”  
His low voice jerked her out of her thoughts. She resumed dabbing his forehead.  
“I'm here, Tony.”

When he pried his eyes open with great difficulty, Pepper noticed he did not really focus on her. She made use of his brief bout of half-consciousness, slipped an arm behind his back and forced a glass of water to his lips. Most of it trickled off onto the blanket. “Please Tony, you need to drink something.” His upper body was heavy and her arm started to hurt.  
  
“M'sorry.”  
A coughing fit made him hack and twist to the side.   
Pepper saved the glass and its contents at the very last second. She placed it back on the nightstand and stood up.

“I'm not standing here looking at this any longer. I'm going to call a doctor.”  
From where he was still bent over sideways, Tony held up his left arm in silent protest.  
“No doctor... can help m... me. Call... call Br...”

She hovered above him and watched his exhausted form shifting onto his back.   
“Tell him to bring sample 'delta neutral' along.”   
Unsure if this was just another of his febrile delusions Pepper just nodded and went for her phone.

One clipped phone call and one hour later, Jarvis informed her of the arrival of a dark Lamborghini Huracán at the main gates.

“Open up please, Jarvis. I'm coming.”   
  
With a gentle stroke to Tony's brow, Pepper rose and went down to the living room area. He stepped out of the sports car as she pulled the main door open. A small black box was in his hand, and Bruce threw her a questioning glance. Pepper's countenance remained composed, but her hands were ice-cold as she brushed against his fingers.

“How bad?”  
They began to walk side by side in unison to where Pepper lead them upstairs.  
“Fever has gone up to 103, and he keeps on talking about extracellular matrix protein.”

Bruce zipped his jacket open and followed her into the back-lit bedroom which smelled of ozone and sweat. Amidst the king-size bed lay Tony Stark, dressed in rumpled shirt and shorts, and with a rag on his forehead. As soon as he got aware of the door being opened, Tony turned his head, causing the rag to slide onto the mattress. A faint smile flashed over his features.

“You couldn't find him, Pep.”  
Confused she retrieved the cloth and dipped it into a nearby bowl.   
She wrung out the rug with a frown and replaced it on his forehead.

“Bruce is right here, Tony.”  
Wayne stepped up to the bedside to look down at the other man. Tony turned glassy eyes upwards.  
“No, the Bat killed him, remember?”

Pepper's eyes started to prick, and she blinked vigorously against a blur of tears. She cast the Gothamite a look; his brows furrowed and his mouth firmly pressed together. Bruce then propped the small box in his hand up on the nightstand. “I’m giving him the neutralizing agent. Is there a way to monitor his vitals?” Even as he spoke, his nimble fingers prepared a small syringe and a vial with a clear solution.

Pepper nodded, moved aside to let him sit down on the mattress and addressed the omnipresent AI. “Of course, Mrs Stark, Mister Wayne. Mister Stark’s current body temperature is at 104.7 degrees, and the respiratory tract seems to be slightly inflamed. I will keep you updated on any changes after you administered the unidentified serum.”

Despite Jarvis being designed as a multifunctional software program, its deep scientific knowledge and customization to possess human traits made a certain reproachful undertone in its voice module evident. Never one to give unnecessary explanations, Bruce took Tony’s arm in his and wiped the crook of his elbow with a disinfectant patch.

Another coughing fit from Stark interrupted Bruce's first try to inject him. The Gothamite beckoned Pepper to come and steady her husband’s upper body. At the gentle restraint, Tony blinked and cast large, confused eyes up at them. He twitched as the thin needle penetrated his skin, but Bruce kept on emptying the liquid into his vein.

“Ugh, no. No. No drugg’n me...” Weak but determined, Tony attempted to pull away. "… I refuse... won't build ya t'Jericho."  
Steadfast, Bruce eventually put the syringe aside and straightened up to his full height.  
“He will probably be fast asleep soon."  
  
Pepper glanced up from where she still sat next to Tony on the mattress. Her motions had switched from pinning him down to stroking his forearms in an absentminded way. "From one extreme to the other." She gave a big sigh and looked down at the even more drowsy man between the sheets. "I just hope you know what you've done this time, Bruce."

Hazel eyes narrowed in on her.  
"The next 12 hours will tell. Do you want me to..."  
The redhead nodded even before he finished his sentence.

"I'll have a guestroom ready for you across the floor."

 


	46. Chapter 46

At some point, a cool hand found its way onto Tony's forehead and through the haze of his foggy mind. The inventor gave a low moan before he nuzzled a little into the touch. His throat felt dry and sore, so Tony swallowed two times before he licked over his lips.

“'S that you, sweetheart?”  
Bruce suppressed a small smirk.  
“That depends.”

Tony cracked an eye open and found himself staring up into the face of the Gothamite.  
“Unr'quited love, Brucie? All you need 's t'ask, y'know? 'lways thought you're hot.”  
Wayne harrumphed in response and busied himself with the readouts on his display.

During the night, Pepper had been drifting in and out of sleep in a nearby lounge chair, refusing to leave. Around 3AM she finally had been sound asleep enough for Bruce to carry her over into the guestroom she originally had meant for him. He knew she was right in reproaching him for his mistake in the first place. There was no cowl to hide behind; Bruce Wayne was bearing a huge part of the blame.

At meanwhile almost 4AM, the Californian billionaire was still in the drug interaction of Extremis and the antidote, and Bruce secretly hoped and prayed his calculations had been correct. He had used the last of Tony's original blood samples to work on how to neutralize the continuity of the process in case of a total failure.

Back then Tony had laughed him off and called his sample 'delta neutral'; a reference to a financial security portfolio which remained relatively insensitive to changes in the value of the underlying security. Bruce had let him mock him. He knew that Tony would come to value it at some point. Even if he had been proven right in creating a back door, he was unable to reap the benefits of his foresight.

“Do you, now.”

Bruce got a set of sterile cotton swabs ready and muttered along for the sake of Tony staying awake long enough to get a decent saliva sample. “F'sure. You're a hot piece of male ass, Waynster, my word. 'm 'n expert.” Not knowing how to respond, Bruce hesitated before he attempted to collect a useful sample from the inside of Tony's cheek.

“Pepper won't be amused. Open your mouth.”  
When Tony did not respond, Bruce forced a swab stick in between his lips.  
"Ahshewlreddyknows.”  
  
Confused, Bruce paused his semi-successful efforts.  
“Excuse me?”  
Something between a lazy and a seductive grin flickered across Tony's unshaven face.  
  
“She knows there'd been those... 'n _those_ times. Nowadays, I'm a one-lady man tho.”  
The Gotham billionaire cleared his throat ever so slightly.  
“I see.”  
  
Out of the blue, Tony's hand moved up to grasp Bruce's wrist. It caused the other man to let go of the cotton swab which fell onto the blanket and then the floor. “Shocked?” With disdain Bruce regarded the now useless sample to his feet. “Takes a lot more than that.” He whipped out a fresh stick and pried his wrist free. “Stop fidgeting now and hold still.”  
  
A bit cross-eyed, Tony remained silent and watched Bruce's actions, nodding along.  
“Goin out on limb here an' say: In case of a threesome, you'd be m'first choice.”  
Not a muscle in Bruce Wayne's countenance moved as he sealed the sample.  
  
“It's probably a good thing you won't remember any of this later on. Maniac.” He snapped the locks of the box shut and took it as he stood up. A quick glimpse at his watch told Bruce it was just after 4:30AM. The window panes were still tinted as to not allow him a view outside. The Gothamite rolled his neck and exhaled without a sound.

Jarvis had proceeded to give him regular updates on Tony's stats via a StarkPad he had received from Pepper for time being. Bruce's portable lab contained only limited options to evaluate body samples, but the AI was able to point out the missing points. When the fever finally went down an hour later, Bruce allowed himself to leave the room for the first time during the whole night.

On the corridor, he almost collided with Pepper, who still wore yesterday's clothes and an unhappy expression on her face. Before she got to lament over how he should not have let her fall asleep, Bruce nodded. “Time to switch places.” Pepper ran a hand through slightly rumpled hair and eyed his unchanged appearance. “How's our patient?”

Her whisper sounded tired but wary. Pepper held her phone almost like a weapon.  
“Doing _much_ better.”  
The way he stressed his words made her frown ever so slightly.

“Oh? How could you be so sure?”  
The redhead mustered Bruce's sudden, unusual flushed complexion.  
“... he tried to kiss me.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it becomes clear as to when my Tony/Bruce obsession started to foster and creep into this story.


	47. Chapter 47

Malibu, 29th October 2013

  
Since Bruce was conditioned to run on minimal sleep, he was up less than five hours later. Not wanting to disturb anyone, he asked Jarvis for a current status. “Mister Stark is still asleep, though it pleases me to announce his vitals are nearly back to normal. Mrs Stark asked me to inform you that breakfast would be ready by 9:30 am.”

Bruce Wayne's first instinct was to get in his car and leave. With an indecisive glance back at the rumpled sheets, he was quick to freshen up in the adjacent bathroom, got dressed and went down, his belongings in hand. Pepper was nowhere in sight, so he asked Jarvis to open the main door for him. Outside, L.A.'s morning sun greeted him in bright golden hues.

Eyes narrowed, he unlocked the Huracán, stashed the box in the trunk, and was about to get in behind the wheel.  
“... Bruce?”  
He moved as casual as possible and looked over to where Pepper stood in the doorway.  
  
“Good morning.”  
  
She had changed from business suit into a jeans and t-shirt combo and had put her hair up in a ponytail. In her hand was a carafe filled with what looked like juice. “You didn't want to leave now, did you? Jarvis said he told you about breakfast.” With a scratch on the slight stubble on his cheek, Bruce put up his most stunning smile.  
  
“No, of course not. I'm coming.”

Their breakfast thankfully turned out not to be as awkward as Bruce imagined it to be. A huge part was thanks to Jarvis, who provided them with current forecasts and information from the latest news channels. It prevented them from speaking about the actual events that led to the situation at hand. Bruce for one was grateful.

“That cargasm downstairs belongs to you I take it?”  
They both turned around at the deep voice.  
Pepper immediately put her coffee cup down and walked up to feel his forehead.

Hair a mess and completely unshaven, Tony Stark stood in his kitchen and squinted at the unfamiliar picture that presented itself to him.

“Why are you up?”  
His wife's voice was stern and worried at the same time.  
Tony wiggled a hand free from inside his over-sized bathrobe and wrapped it around her waist. He gave a kiss to her temple.

“Cause I feel good. Well, better. And I needed to pee. And I'm beyond starved.”  
His astute eyes skimmed over the kitchen counter and the remains from breakfast.  
Two seconds later, he munched on a croissant and had snatched an apple from the basket.

“Is there a way for a nice guy like me to get his hands on some decent caffeine?”  
As he spoke, Tony stuffed the remaining pastry into the corner of his mouth and brought the espresso maker to life.  
He rummaged around for a cup until Pepper stepped in.

Bruce Wayne sat and felt like something in between a fifth wheel and the distant cousin of a dysfunctional family.  
Just then, Tony turned around, one hip against the kitchen counter, and looked at him.  
“So... any awkward situations you're planning to use against me that I should know of?”

With an undecipherable look in return, trying to gauge whether Tony was baiting him or indeed had no memories of the past few hours, Bruce settled for humor. “Fresh from the press, just as we speak. Kiss your reputation goodbye.” Tony gave a delighted laugh and bit off a large chunk of the apple. “Punk. Don't get used to hanging around my breakfast table, you little freeloader.”

Pepper walked around the counter and emptied her mug.  
“If you're up to par again, I might actually get to work with a clear conscience now.”  
He seemed mollified when she added the words home office to her sentence.

“If you can't help yourself, Mrs Workaholic. I for one am taking a long, hot shower now.”  
Tony then pointed a finger at the taller man as he shuffled upstairs, espresso in hand.  
“And _you_ realize you're not leaving without me taking that Lambo for a spin first, do ya?”

The look Wayne gave him upon his insolence made Tony use all of his disarming candor.  
“I was on the verge of death. I need to be pampered, spoiled and coddled. Tag, you're it.”  
After the Californian inventor had left, Bruce turned and watched Pepper suppress a grin.

With calm motions she put her coffee cup into the dishwasher.  
“You've just been hit by hurricane Anthony. Bear your punishment with fortitude.”  
When she returned his petulant stare, she just gave a blithe shrug.

Bruce Wayne scrubbed his face in between hands before he accepted another espresso.  
Underlying relief aside, he would only be willing to put up a good face for time being.  
“If we're not back in an hour, feel free to assume I've thrown his behind out on the PCH.”  
  


* * *

  
Half an hour later, the two men walked out towards the Italian roadster. Tony wore some destroyed denims, a red and black striped long-sleeve shirt, and a leather jacket. His mood as well as his health seemed to have improved drastically. With his fingertips on the matte paint Tony walked around. He gave a low whistle.  
  
“Fuck, Wayne, these get launched next year. Whom did you sleep with to get one?”  
Said billionaire slipped on a pair of Ray Ban's and opened the door.  
“Chalk it up to my dazzling charm and looks maybe?”  
  
Tony made an improper noise upon discovering the embossed logos on the headrests.  
“'Lamborghini for Bruce Wayne'. Ah, now you're just showing off, you prick.”  
Bruce allowed a little laugh to escape his lips as he got in the passenger seat.  
  
“They felt sorry for my bad luck with their cars in the past. Call it compensation.”  
The Californian billionaire wiggled into the sport's seat and ran his hands over the wheel.  
“Sounds like a good story. Spill.”  
  
Both strapped in and Tony pressed ignition. Upon the sound, he gave a naughty grin.  
“Crashed the Murciélago, lost the Aventator. Third time's the charm I guess.”  
Incredulous Tony gave an exaggerated tilt of his head and blinked heavily.  
  
“ _Lost_ a Lamborghini? How the hell does one _lose_ a Lamborghini?”  
Bruce's answer was an impatient wave of the hand to get them going, so Tony complied.  
“During Bane's reign. Last thing I know it's either trashed to pieces or hauled overseas to make a profit. Whatever.”

He waved a final goodbye to Pepper who stood in the doorway and watched them. With two smooth fingers, Tony flipped his shades open and jammed them on his nose. He blew his wife a kiss and revved the V10 a couple of times for showboating measures before he pulled out of the driveway. Bruce sighed to himself and slid deeper in his seat.  
  
“Only twenty minutes, then I'm done playing babysitter. I have actual work to do.”  
His disdainful grumbling was met with a curl of Tony's lips.  
“Bitch moan whine, loserface. You damn well don't have to clock in, so stop pretending.”

Once they were off private property, Tony wasted no time in putting his foot down hard on the accelerator. Bruce's inner musings about being too young to die interchanged with possible ways how to knock Tony out and keep the sports car in line at the same time.

“... pardon?”  
The Californian billionaire threw him an amused glance.  
“ _I said:_ From the way you're choking the upholstery, you're not enjoying yourself here.”

They meanwhile were doing 110, and the Huracán growled underneath their feet with a powerful roar.  
Bruce loosened his death-grip and subconsciously flexed his knuckles.  
“How you managed to be still alive shall remain a mystery to me. Slow down some.”

Much to his surprise, Tony relented and brought the car down to 80 mph.  
“Yeah, look up the word bouncebackability in the dictionary and you'll find a pic of me.”  
Bruce inwardly berated himself at having spawned unnecessary depth analysis material.

“Bouncebackability is not even in the dictionary.“  
He then adjusted his sunglasses and pointed at a road sign.  
“Let's head for the PCH, the less bad curves ahead, the better.”

In a nutshell, Bruce Wayne received three speeding tickets from the state of California. Wayne did not care about the 700 dollars Stark's lead-foot cost him, all penalties included, those were peanuts. At least he was alive and highly determined to never let Stark drive again. What nagged him the most, however, was the damage done to the front of his precious Lamborghini.

On their way back, Tony had made a spontaneous decision to take the ride through a Burger King drive thru; in dire need of a milkshake for his still sore throat. Before Bruce could point out the front suspension lift kit of the Huracán, the super car had already scraped along the speed bumps, a grating sound reverberating through the open windows.

Tony pulled a lopsided grimace and stole a glimpse to the right.  
"Whoops."  
A single muscle in Bruce's jaw twitched.  
  
"... never mind."

Needless to say, their little excursion ended shortly after. When they returned to the mansion safe and sound and Bruce had claimed his driver's seat again, a quick knock made him lower the window. Tony poked his head in and looked around one last time.

“Real nice ride.”  
He then licked his lips and gave a lopsided smirk.  
“We're more than even, with Extremis and all. No more Frankenstein for you.”

No visible reaction played on Wayne's face whatsoever.  
“Glad to hear. I wouldn't support your delusions of grandeur anyhow, after last night.”  
Tony gave a final pat on the door frame and nodded as he straightened up again.

“See ya in a coupl'a days. Oh, and Wayne...”  
Bruce flexed his jaw and tapped his index fingers against the dual clutch shifts.  
“... I _do_ remember last night's convo. I'm a man of my word. Think about it.”

A wink, a naughty grin, and he was gone.  
The Gotham billionaire burned rubber on his way home, adding a fourth speeding ticket to his daily collection.  
He avoided seeing or speaking to the Starks in person for the next weeks; some things were just too awkward.

 


	48. Chapter 48

Gotham City, 12th  November 2013

  
_Drip. Drip. Drip._

Tony stood and watched the raindrops fall onto the large, lithic window sill of the parlor. The air outside was almost gray with moisture, it was dark, and his eyes wandered along the vast nothingness that was acres and acres of green with disdain. “God, does it never stop pouring around here.” Some rustling made him glance over his shoulder.  
  
“Gotham has a reputation to uphold.”  
At his wife’s voice, Tony could not help but to smirk.  
"A shitty weather one for sure.”  
  
He uncrossed his arms to proceed to check his watch.  
“Man, he should’ve been here hours ago.”  
Pepper sipped on her glass of water and stood up to join him at the window.  
  
“Twenty minutes. Though it’s not likely for Bruce to be late.”  
The billionaire next to her started to rock back and forth on his heels.  
“All this rain is making me wanna take a piss. Be right back.”  
  
She arched an eyebrow at his crudity, but nodded and brushed her hand on his shoulder. Tony slipped out onto the large doorway and marched right over to where he remembered one of the many restrooms of Wayne Manor to be. After his third visit, he meanwhile had the directions inside the large premises down pat.

Pepper and him had traveled to Gotham City late in the afternoon.

They originally had planned to arrive by 2PM, but after he had been summoned in and caught up in a spontaneous team-up with Nick Fury outside of L.A., their schedule had been shot. It had caused a flight delay for their Stark jet, a few phone calls with bad connection between Pepper and Alfred, and a jaded Tony who would much rather have preferred to stay at home with some takeaway Chinese and a good movie.

They had arrived at a heavy downpour at the gates of the Manor around 10PM, only to be informed Bruce Wayne was not present.

The butler had been charming and accommodating as always, but something seemed off. The couple had planned on staying overnight to be rested for the upcoming first press conference in Gotham. Tony would have preferred a city-centered hotel of his choice, but seeing how Alfred had been insistent on accommodating them, Pepper did not want to turn his generous offer down.

The Starks wanted to officially get introduced to the city scene, and at the same time dispel any concerns of the wary population about the clean energy project between WE and SI. Naturally, after the Bane disaster, people were suspicious, and it would take a lot of the good old Tony Stark charm to convince them they meant any good. Installing an ARC reactor substation was something that seemed menacing at first.

Lucius Fox therefore had seen to organize a separate press conference at Gotham's City Hall to inform the public. Pepper had found it to be a great idea. She instructed the Stark Industries' PR team to work in cooperation with their Wayne Enterprises' counterparts on press kits for the Gotham media landscape, and also involved the wire services.

"Mrs Stark?"  
Pepper looked up to see the butler lingering in the doorway.  
"Yes, Alfred?"

"I am afraid Master Wayne is not going to be back in a reasonable time frame tonight. I have prepared the Valley Suite Bedroom on the second floor for you and Mister Stark." With a dejected sigh, the redhead rose and nodded with a small smile. “Thank you. I'll just wait for Tony to come back and let him know.” Both shared a look that made Pepper hold her tongue on the reasons behind Bruce's latest absence.

Pennyworth then inclined his head and wished her a good night.

* * *

  
It was 3AM by the time Bruce returned to the cave, only to find Tony Stark sitting propped up against one of the Tumbler's huge back tires. The other man was sipping from a porcelain mug and mustered the familiar Batsuit with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “Little danger game in between business deals, Brucie?“ Wayne all but snarled at him, threw his cowl aside and opened the medicine cabinet.  
  
"What are you doing here?“

Tony held up his near empty mug and toasted into his direction. “Morning person. Or rather light sleeper and I usually hate sleepovers in haunted houses like this one anyhow. Pick one. Ah, and your coffee creamer's empty, by the way.“ Bruce took a small bottle of antiseptic and some cotton swabs. “Ask Alfred, he always keeps a few in reserve.”

About to be ignored, Tony finished his coffee and sauntered nearer to where Bruce sat and took off his armor bit by bit.   
"I thought you were done with the Phantom of the Opera stunts at night."  
Bruce never cast him a look upwards and instead began to apply disinfectant to a bleeding spot on his left biceps.

"You thought wrong."  
With a humming sound, Stark bobbed his head along and watched him tend to his injury.  
"I know addiction when I see it, Waynster. And this... well, even if it doesn't give you a hangover per se, it's kinda bad for your health, too."  
  
Grim, hazel eyes shot up and eventually locked with his. Then the Gotham billionaire ran a hand through his hair.  
“I chose this life. I know what I’m doing. And on any given day, I could stop doing it. Today isn’t that day. And tomorrow wont be either.”  
After Bruce's admission, neither of them said a word. Tony eventually slapped his thighs and stood up.  
  
“Oookay, cut out the sad violin music. I for one am going to try for some shuteye now. Today's gonna be tough as it is.”  
He pointedly sniffed into Wayne's direction and mustered him from head to toe.  
“The big black bat however should probably take a shower first, though. Let me know if you need help in scrubbing your back.“

Even though he did not turn around once more, Tony very well heard the hissed 'I swear, Stark, one of these days...'  
He left the cave with a whistle and a grin, hands in the pockets of his jeans.  
Pepper was still sound asleep when he crawled back to her into bed at 3:25AM.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bruce's quote taken from DC's comic 'Identity Crisis', Vol. 1 #4


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos to Batsocks for suggesting the sleazeball reporter from Batman (1989) in this one.

Gotham City / Town Hall, 13th  November 2013

  
They were thirty minutes into the press conference, and so far, there had been no stepping stones whatsoever. Pepper found herself relaxing behind her glass of sparkling water and cast her husband and the man sitting next to him a gauging look. Bruce had been keeping to himself for the most part, nodding along to Tony's elaborations, and once or twice leaning in to listen to something Lucius Fox told him.

"Alexander Knox, Gotham Globe. A question for Mister Stark."  
Tony mustered the journalist with his sleazy smile before he gave an inviting nod.   
"How d'you feel about the fact your wife's been formerly known as the future Mrs Wayne? Does it taint your relations to Mister Wayne in any way?"

Silence. A couple of murmurs from a few reporters to the left. Some cameras clicked.

The four people behind the press conference table said nothing at first. Then Tony Stark cleared his throat, leaned forward and adjusted his microphone. "Lovely last one. First of all, I'd like to congratulate you on being the only fucktard in this room to ask a completely irrelevant question." He held up a nonchalant hand over to where SI security personnel and press agents were about to get into motion.

"Before my team over there goes animal on you, however, let me at least grant you an answer for your ballsy idiocy." Tony then twisted so he was able to put an arm around the Gothamite's broad set of shoulders. "I mean, look at this guy. He's an Adonis. I cannot blame my wife for succumbing to his mind-blowing charm and looks. Heck, I would've beaten her to it, if only I stood a chance."

Insecure laughs erupted from the crowd of reporters. From the corner of his eye, Tony saw Lucius Fox faking a little cough to hide the growing smirk on his face. Bruce Wayne himself had switched from passive seriousness to something Tony thought he could work with, for the sake of the situation. "Oh, and Brucie, dear - I never seem to remember: D'you actually own the Gotham Globe or not?"

With his most stellar, stupefied grin on display, Bruce shrugged.  
"I'm having lunch with the editor-in-chief tomorrow. I'll ask him."  
Satisfied, Tony nodded, patted his shoulder two more times and turned to the pale-faced reporter who stood and shifted on his feet.  
  
"Back to you, Knoxville. Any more questions regarding this joint-venture? Take your chance while you're still in possession of your press card."  
When he was met with a shake of the head, Tony continued to stare Knox into the ground until the latter sat back down on his chair.  
"No? Pity. Well, I'd love to stay and talk to you in person some more, but seeing my chopper's idling on the roof as we speak, I'll save it for later."

He shot Bruce an evaluating look, got a curt nod in return, and began to rise from his seat. With a loving glance at his wife, Tony made a move to clasp her hand, kiss her knuckles and keep their fingers entwined as he led her off stage. Commotion went through the rows of reporters and journalists, but neither Bruce, Pepper or Tony bothered to take a look back.

* * *

 Los Angeles / Cement Studio 11B, 18th November 2013  
  


_“Today we are looking at the Cement Studio 11B on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles where the biggest joint-venture deal of the century is about to get sealed. Our reporter Zorianna Kit is there to inform us about the live press conference and everything that is going down. Zorianna, can you tell us what's happening at the moment?”_

_“Sure, Roxanne. As you can see behind me, lots of photographers and journalists are already gathered. Several black limousines have arrived, and I think I have spotted a suspiciously chic, tousle-haired exec climbing out of one of them and high-fiving a couple of guys in similar business suits.”_

_“That sounds like the one and only Tony Stark to me.”_

_“It most definitely is him, Roxanne. We are, however, a bit more exited as to when and how the second part of this deal is showing up on stage. None other than the universal heir of Wayne Enterprises, Mister Bruce Wayne himself, is going to have his very first and official appearance after his long hiatus from the spotlight.”_

_“This union came out of nowhere for most people. How's the status between these two business giants? Where and when have they met?”_

_“Well, nobody knows for sure, but rumor has it these two share quite the history. If it's a typical billionaire friendship or just an act of each one's best interests, no one knows for sure, but we're all going to be a bit wiser after the big press conference in a short while.”_

_“Any sightings on the Gotham City resident so far?”_

_“As you can see behind me, another black Rolls Royce with a Gotham license plate has just arrived on the scene and... there is Lucius Fox getting out of the car. Of course the CEO of Wayne Enterprises is also attending a big event like today. It's interesting how Pepper Stark also stays in the background as she has just stepped out of the car behind Fox.”_

_“Well, the very Mrs Stark always holds back from the limelight herself, doesn't she?”_

_“True, Roxanne. While her husband is a heavy hitter ever since we can remember, she's quite the opposite. But wait... another car is driving up now and... there, yes, indeed - there he finally is: Mister Bruce Wayne himself. And he's looking good, Roxanne, wow, I don't know if you can see this, but his European vacation really has done him good - so much handsome. And now he's stepping up to greet Tony Stark, and the reporters are going crazy. Stark is flashing the victory sign, but Wayne just plays it cool. That's going to be an exiting press conference later on.”_

_“Thank you Zorianna, we'll be back with you in a short while, after the commercials...”_

***

The second, official announcement went much smoother than the first.

They had seen to holding the conference standing, and Tony dominated the stage like it was his natural habitat. Wearing a silken dark gray suit with silvery tie and pocket square, his eyes gleamed with excitement from behind red designer shades. People were still reeling from the video presentation when Stark snatched his glasses off with a suave flick of the wrist and leaned upon the podium.

“Neat, I know. A lot of people said SI would never recover, back in 2008. And look where we are now, five years later. Whenever people think they've got me by the balls, they usually come to realize pretty quick that their hands are too small!” With a shrewd grin, Tony turned to his counterpart. “Even though - Bruce's hands are huge. Ginormous even. But he's using them in my favor.”

Bruce Wayne stood next to him at his own podium, tall and unwavering, and had one hand in the pocket of his navy blue suit. The two billionaires shared a look that gave way to another round of pictures being taken, before a young reporter kid with a pair of overly large nerd glasses rose. “So what you're saying is this project is going to solve world's biggest energy crisis? I mean, we get it, Sir, what's with Iron Man and all that, you're the coolest guy ever, but...”

His tone was brazen and caused several other journalists to grin as well. To everybody's surprise, it was Bruce Wayne who stepped up to the microphone. With a hand on Tony's shoulder, he haltered his possible response and instead fixated the reporter with an unwavering, calculating glance.

"It's a mistake to not give Mister Stark's business prowess enough credit. He’s not just a superhero - he’s a business man. Owner of a Fortune 500 company and a leader in the world of high finance. He knows how to play with wolves, and would cut your legs out from under you without blinking an eye. I couldn't ask for a better business partner.”

Intimidated, the reporter sat back down and began to fiddle with his smart phone, trying to appear busy. From her place next to Lucius Fox, Pepper noticed the miniscule moment in which honest surprise flickered across Tony's face at Bruce's words. Stark then was quick to strike a pose nothing short of cocksure and looked down at the chastened twen.

“Hey, it's not bragging if you can back it up. Which we can.”  
To his left, Bruce Wayne heaved a deep breath. The Californian billionaire then grinned.  
“So, yeah - him and me, we got this. Together. Y'all better brace yourselves. The Stark-Wayne Project 2014: Greenergy Power Solutions. It's so on.”

  
**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idling chopper comment is shamelessly ripped from RDJ bringing out his best Tony Stark at the Palm Springs Gala, January '15
> 
> So, uh, 'The End'. The End? Yeah, kind of. One more teeny-tiny chapter to go...


	50. Chapter 50

~epilogue~

  
Malibu, 12th  December 2013

 

“Hon? Honeyyy! Hey Pep, where are ya? Come and look at that big-ass tree I got!”

Tony trudged through the mansion's living room, squinted against the bright sunlight from the panorama windows and zipped his padded Ralph Lauren leather jacket open. Two weeks before Christmas, Malibu was in its fifties, and the billionaire already in full holiday spirit, despite the sunshine. When his wife did not answer, Tony dashed upwards, two steps at once, and found her in the room next to their master bedroom.

Pepper Stark walked along the collection of designer gym equipment, art sculptures and endless rows of built-in closets. She wore a comfortable woolen dress and typed onto a StarkPad ever so often, in between glancing around. Her eyes found his as Tony put his head around the door with a puzzled expression. "What's going on here? 'S too early for spring cleaning."  
  
A loving smile was on her face as she beckoned him over and kissed him.

“I think we need to see about redecorating this room. It's a bit unpractical as of now.”  
“Unpractical? Unpractical for what?”  
Pepper interlinked her arms behind his neck and looked him deep in the eyes.

“For the person living here in a couple of months.”  
Tony Stark threw his wife a surprised incredulous glance. She nodded, eyes starting to brim.  
“We're going to have a baby, Tony.”

His joyful laughter echoed through the vast mansion as he twirled her around.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, I made it. You made it, if you're reading this. And if you made it this far, you deserve a medal. For putting up with me, and with over 100K of soap opera-worth drama. To think I wanted this to rot on my hard drive forever... well, I'm glad I didn't.
> 
> I hope those who have read enjoyed this story for the most part - I'd like to express my gratitude for each and every comment and kudos received. This community is one of the kindest I've had the pleasure writing for, and all of you are seriously amazing! 
> 
> Special thanks go out to Batsocks, who has been there from start to finish, gave this ship-that-never-should-be-a-ship its oh so fitting name of 'Payne', and who has been amicably pestering me to turn the final stages of this part into a juicy OT3. Sorry I chickened out in the end - but if I'll ever write these three again, I might go and give it a try...


End file.
